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EXLIBRIS  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 


JOHN  HENRY  NASH  LIBRARY 

<§>  SAN  FRANCISCO  <$> 

PRESENTED  ID  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

ROBERT  GORDON  SPRQUL,  PRESIDENT. 
<$>    BV  * 

MR.ANDMRS.MILTON  S.RAY" 
CECILY,  VIRGINIA ANDROSALYN  RAY 

AND  THE 

RAY  OIL  BURNEROOMPANY 


SAN  FRANCISCO 
NEW  YORK. 


THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

OF 

BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN 


THE 


OF 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN 


With  ILLUSTRATIONS 


BOSTON  and  NEW  YORK 
Published  by  HOUGHTON  MIFFLIN  &  COMPANY 

MDCCCCVI 


COPYRIGHT  1906  BY  HOUGHTON  MIFFLIN  AND  COMPANY 


ALL  RIGHTS  RESERVED 


OF  THIS  EDITION   IOOO  COPIES  WERE   PRINTED 
AT  THE  RIVERSIDE  PRESS    CAMBRIDGE   MDCCCCVI 


NOTES    ON    THE    ILLUSTRATIONS 

All  the  reproductions  in  this  -volume,  with  one  exception  (the  Cbamberlln  portrait},  have  been  made  from 
original  sources,  through  the  courtesy  of  the  owners.  For  various  reasons  a  number  of  tuell-kno'wn  portraits 
and  facsimiles  are  not  included. 

THE  FRANKLIN  BICENTENNIAL  MEDAL  (obverse) Front  Cover 

The  gold  medal  designed  by  Louis  and  Augustus  Saint-Gaudens,  and  struck 
January  17,  1906,  to  commemorate  the  two  hundredth  anniversary  of  Frank 
lin's  birth,  was  presented  to  the  French  Government  by  the  United  States.  It 
is  reproduced  on  the  cover  by  permission  of  Hon.  Elihu  Root,  Secretary  of 
State,  and  by  the  courtesy  of  Franklin's  great-great-granddaughter,  Miss  Agnes 
Irwin,  LL.D.  (St.  Andrew's,  Scotland,  which,  in  1759,  conferred  the  degree 
of  LL.D.  on  Franklin),  who  allowed  her  bronze  copy  of  the  medal  to  be  used 
for  this  reproduction. 

BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  (photogravure') Frontispiece 

From  the  original  "  Earl  Grey  "  portrait  painted  by  Benjamin  Wilson  in  1759. 
This  portrait  was  taken  from  Franklin's  home  in  Philadelphia  in  1778  by  Major 
John  Andre,  and  carried  to  England  by  General  Sir  Charles  Grey.  It  was  pre 
sented  to  the  United  States  at  the  Franklin  Bicentennial,  1 906,  by  his  Excellency 
Earl  Grey,  Governor- General  of  Canada.  It  now  hangs  in  the  White  House, 
Washington.  The  autograph  is  from  a  letter  written  in  1758,  in  the  Chamberlin 
collection,  Boston  Public  Library.  No  engraving  of  this  portrait  is  known  to 
exist,  and  this  is  the  first  time  that  it  has  been  reproduced  in  a  book. 

PRESS  AT  WHICH  FRANKLIN  WORKED  IN  WATT'S  PRINTING-OFFICE, 
London,  1725 Title-Page 

Property  of  Mrs.  Felicia  M.  Tucker,  New  York,  N.  Y.  In  the  Smithsonian 
Institution,  Washington. 

SPECIMEN  PAGE  OF  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 8 

From  the  original  in  a  New  York  private  library,  and  reproduced  by  permission 
of  the  owner. 

NEW  ENGLAND  COURANT,  February  n,  1723 20 

The  first  issue  published  by  Benjamin  Franklin.  From  the  original  in  the  British 
Museum. 

TITLE-PAGE  OF  "  A  DISSERTATION  ON  LIBERTY  AND  NECESSITY,  PLEAS 
URE  AND  PAIN,"  called  the  "  wicked  tract  " 42 

From  the  original  in  the  Congressional  Library,  Washington. 

SIR  HANS  SLOANE  (photogravure) 44 

From  the  original  portrait  in  the  National  Portrait  Gallery,  London,  painted 
in  1736  by  Stephen  Slaughter.  Sir  Hans  Sloane  was  an  English  physician 
who  died  in  1753,  an<^  ^e^  to  ^e  nation  his  large  collection  of  curiosities 
and  specimens  of  natural  history.  This  gift  was  the  foundation  of  the  British 
Museum. 

BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  (photogravure) 50 

From  the  original ««  Sumner  "  portrait  of  Franklin  at  twenty  painted  in  London 


iv       NOTES  ON  THE  ILLUSTRATIONS 

about  1726.  It  is  said  to  have  been  given  by  Franklin  to  his  brother,  John,  of 
Newport,  R.  I.,  whose  wife  was  the  grandmother  of  Mrs.  Thomas  W.  Sumner 
ofBrookline,  Mass.  From  Mr.  Sumner  it  passed  to  Dr.  John  C.  Warren  of 
Boston,  who  bequeathed  it  to  Harvard  College  in  1856. 

The  autograph  is  from  a  promissory  note,  given  by  Franklin  to  John  Phillips, 
Bookseller,  in  Boston,  May  5,  1724,  in  possession  of  the  Historical  Society 
of  Pennsylvania.  This  is  said  to  be  the  earliest  known  Franklin  autograph. 

FACSIMILE  OF  THE  PENNSYLVANIA  GAZETTE 64 

From  the  first  number  published  by  Benjamin  Franklin,  October  2,  1729, 
containing  his  address  to  the  reader.  From  the  original  in  the  Lenox  collection, 
New  York  Public  Library. 

DISSOLUTION   OF    THE    FIRM    OF    BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN   AND    HUGH 
MEREDITH 68 

From  the  original  manuscript  in  possession  of  the  American  Philosophical 
Society  at  Philadelphia. 

BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  (photogravure) 70 

From  the  portrait  by  G.  D.  Leslie.  Copied  from  the  original  painting  by 
Mason  Chamberlin,  and  presented  to  Harvard  University  by  Joshua  Bates. 
This  portrait  was  painted  by  Chamberlin  in  1 760  for  Col.  Philip  Ludwell  of 
Virginia,  who  visited  England  in  that  year.  The  original  next  went  to  Joshua 
Bates  of  Boston,  for  whom  Bates  Hall  in  the  Boston  Public  Library  is  named,  and 
is  now  in  the  possession  of  his  grandson,  Victor  Van  der  Weyer,  London,  Eng 
land.  The  autograph  is  from  a  letter  dated  1761,  in  the  Chamberlin  collection, 
Boston  Public  Library. 

MRS.  DEBORAH  FRANKLIN  (photogravure) 84 

From  the  original  portrait  in  the  possession  of  Rev.  F.  B.  Hodge,  D.  D., 
Wilkes  Barre,  Pa.  The  autograph  is  from  a  letter  in  the  possession  of  the 
Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania. 

MRS.  RICHARD  BACHE  (SARAH  FRANKLIN)  (photogravure')     ....     94 

From  the  original  painted  by  Hoppner  in  1792.  This  portrait  was  in  the 
Bache  family  until  1901,  when  it  came  into  the  possession  of  the  Metropolitan 
Art  Museum,  New  York  City.  The  autograph  is  from  a  letter  in  the  posses 
sion  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society  at  Philadelphia. 

POOR  RICHARD'S  ALMANACK,  1733 100 

Facsimiles  of  the  first,  fifth,  seventh,  and  last  pages  of  the  first  issue.  From 
an  original  copy  in  the  possession  of  the  Pennsylvania  Historical  Society  at 
Philadelphia.  Paul  Leicester  Ford  said  of  it:  "  Seventy  editions  of  it  have  been 
printed  in  English,  fifty-six  in  French,  eleven  in  German,  and  nine  in  Italian. 
It  has  been  translated  into  Spanish,  Danish,  Swedish,  Welsh,  Polish,  Gaelic, 
Russian,  Bohemian,  Dutch,  Catalan,  Chinese,  modern  Greek,  and  Phonetic 
writing.  It  has  been  printed  at  least  four  hundred  times,  and  is  to-day  as 
popular  as  ever ! ' ' 

BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  (photogravure) no 

From  the  original  painted  by  David  Martin  in  1 767,  now  in  the  possession 
of  Mr.  Henry  Williams  Biddle,  Philadelphia.  This  is  known  as  the  "Thumb  " 
portrait,  and  was  painted  for  Robert  Alexander  of  Edinburgh.  Jonathan  Wil 
liams  married  Alexander's  niece.  The  portrait  was  given  to  them  "to  descend 


NOTES  ON  THE  ILLUSTRATIONS       v 

to  the  eldest  male  heir  in  perpetuity  as  the  joint  representative  of  both  parries." 
The  autograph  is  from  a  letter  written  in  1765,  in  the  Chamber lin  collection, 
Boston  Public  Library. 

GEORGE  WHITFIELD  (photogravure) .     ...   112 

From  the  original  painting  in  Memorial  Hall,  Harvard  University.  The 
autograph  is  from  a  letter  in  the  possession  of  the  Massachusetts  Historical 
Society,  Boston. 

ADVERTISEMENT  OF  RICHARDSON'S  PAMELA,  PUBLISHED  BY  FRANKLIN  .  116 

Pamela  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  novel  published  in  America.  The  photo 
graph  is  from  the  Pennsylvania  Gazette,  1 8th  December,  1 744,  in  the  possession 
of  the  American  Philosophical  Society  at  Philadelphia. 

MAP  OF  THE  SIEGE  OF  LOUISBURG     . 118 

This  is  photographed  from  the  Pennsylvania  Gazette,  No.  860,  published  in 
Philadelphia,  June  6,  1745,  now  in  the  possession  of  the  Historical  Society  of 
Pennsylvania.  This  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  cut  ever  printed  in  any  Ameri 
can  newspaper,  and  also  the  first  time  that  an  item  of  news  appeared  with  an 
illustration. 

TITLE-PAGE  OF  CATO  MAJOR 122 

From  the  original  in  the  Harvard  University  Library.  This  is  commonly  re 
garded  as  one  of  the  best  examples  of  Franklin's  press- work.  It  was  not  the  first 
American  translation  of  a  classic,  but  it  was  the  first  made  and  published 
in  America.  Franklin  in  his  preface  says  :  "I  shall  add  to  these  few  lines  my 
hearty  wish  that  this  first  translation  of  a  classic  in  this  western  world  may  be 
followed  with  many  others  performed  with  equal  judgment  and  success;  and 
be  a  happy  omen,  that  Philadelphia  shall  become  the  seat  of  the  American 
muses." 

BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  (photogravure) 124 

From  the  original  "Athenaeum"  portrait  by  Duplessis  in  the  Boston  Museum 
of  Fine  Arts,  the  property  of  the  Boston  Athenaeum.  This  portrait  was  painted 
by  Duplessis  in  1778  for  M.  Donatein  le  Ray  de  Chaumont,  whose  "petite 
maison  "  at  Passy  was  occupied  by  Franklin  through  most  of  his  stay  in  France. 
The  portrait  came  into  the  possession  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  and  was  left  by 
him  to  Joseph  Coolidge  Jr.  of  Boston,  through  whom  it  came  to  the  Boston 
Athenaeum  in  1828.  The  autograph  is  from  the  Declaration  of  Independence. 

WILLIAM  SHIRLEY  (photogravure) 140 

After  the  painting  by  T.  Hudson.  The  autograph  is  from  the  Lenox  collec 
tion,  New  York  Public  Library. 

BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  (photogravure) 166 

From  a  photograph  of  the  statuette  by  Nini,  in  the  possession  of  Hon.  John 
Bigelow,  President  of  the  New  York  Public  Library.  This  statuette,  interesting 
because  of  its  real  hair,  is  owned  by  Mme.  Guerin  de  Vaux  of  Paris.  Jean 
Baptiste  Nini,  native  of  Italy,  an  engraver  on  glass,  was  discovered  by  Le  Ray  de 
Chaumont,  who  also  discovered  a  remarkably  fine  quality  of  clay  on  his  estate, 
where  he  established  Nini  on  a  salary.  It  was  through  Le  Ray,  on  whose 
estate  in  Passy  Franklin  lived  during  most  of  his  residence  in  France,  that  he, 
until  recognized  as  Minister  of  the  United  States,  held  intercourse  with  the 
Government  of  France.  He  necessarily  fell  into  intimate  relations  with  Nini, 
who  appears  to  have  found  him  his  most  profitable  model.  Medallions  of 


vi     NOTES  ON  THE  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Franklin  by  Nini  are  very  common,  and  it  is  said  that  Nini  made  more  medallions 
of  Franklin  than  of  any  other  person. 

LETTER  FROM  FRANKLIN  TO  HIS  MOTHER,  APRIL  12,  1750     .     .     .168 
From  the  original  in  the  possession  of  the  Boston  Athenseum. 

BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  (photogravure)  .     .     . 170 

From  a  photograph  of  the  statuette  by  Nini  in  the  possession  of  Hon.  John 
Bigelow. 

THOMAS  PENN  (photogravure] 180 

From  the  original  painting  by  Peter  Van  Dyke  in  the  possession  of  the  Earl 
of  Ranfurly. 

LIST  OF  HEADINGS  FOR  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY.     ^  V    ...     .     .182 
From  the  original  manuscript  in  the  possession  of  Hon.  John  Bigelow. 

THE  FRANKLIN  BICENTENNIAL  MEDAL  (reverse) Back  Cover 


INTRODUCTION 

IN  preparing  this  commemorative  edition  of  the  Auto 
biography  of  Benjamin  Franklin,  it  has  been  the  intention 
of  the  publishers  to  embody  in  a  fit  and  adequate  form  the 
authentic  narrative,  the  ipsissima  verba,  of  Franklin.  Though 
the  story  breaks  off  abruptly  in  the  year  1757,  when  Franklin 
had  the  three  most  splendid  decades  of  his  life  still  before  him, 
it  has  seemed  best  neither  to  make  use  of  any  of  the  admirable 
continuations  of  the  chronicle  that  have  been  constructed,  nor 
to  attempt  a  new  one,  but  rather  to  let  the  Autobiography 
remain  as  it  stood  when  the  pen  fell  from  Franklin's  hand,  in 
tantalizing  but  imperishable  incompleteness. 

Yet  considered  either  as  a  human  document  or  as  a  piece 
of  artistic  construction,  the  Autobiography  is  but  superficially 
incomplete.  For  many  readers,  Ben  Franklin  the  printer, 
provincial  philosopher,  and  citizen  of  Philadelphia,  is  a  more 
intimate  and  engaging  figure  than  Dr  Benjamin  Franklin,  the 
diplomatist,  cosmopolitan  savant,  and  citizen  of  the  world. 
The  true  drama  of  his  life  was  enacted  in  the  first  half-century 
of  it.  At  the  age  of  fifty,  when  the  Autobiography  leaves  him, 
his  character  was  formed,  his  fate  unfolded,  his  position  assured. 
What  followed  was  but  further  illustration,  or,  as  it  were,  an 
elaborate  sequel  to  a  stirring  tale. 

As  this  edition  includes  only  the  actual  Autobiography  of 
Franklin,  it  has  seemed  specially  desirable  that  the  text  should 
be  printed  with  the  utmost  fidelity  precisely  as  he  wrote  it. 
By  the  courtesy  of  the  Honorable  John  Bigelow,  and  his  pub 
lishers,  The  J.  B.  Lippincott  Co.,  this  edition  has  been  set  from 
the  text  of  the  fifth  edition  of  Mr  Bigelow's  text,  which  fol- 


viii  INTRODUCTION 

lows  Franklin's  autograph  manuscript  verbatim  et  literatim,  the 
few  deviations  in  the  direction  of  uniformity  of  spelling  which 
occurred  in  Mr  Bigelow's  first  edition  having  been  in  later 
editions  restored  to  Franklin's  own  orthography. 

The  story  of  the  text  of  the  Autobiography  has  been  often 
told ;  but  it  remains  still  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  ro 
mantic  episodes  in  the  history  of  letters,  and  no  edition  of  the 
Autobiography  should  be  printed  without  some  chronicle  of 
the  peculiar  circumstances  attending  the  establishment  of  its 
authentic  text. 

The  authoritative  source  for  the  story  of  the  fortunes  and 
misfortunes  of  the  autograph  manuscript  of  Franklin's  me 
moirs  of  his  own  life  is  Mr  Bigelow's  account,  prefixed  to  his 
successive  editions  of  the  book.  Briefly  summarized,  the  facts 
are  as  follows : 

Franklin  began  the  composition  of  his  Autobiography  in 
the  year  1771,  while  he  was  resident  in  the  family  of  Doctor 
Jonathan  Shipley,  Bishop  of  St  Asaph.  During  the  leisure 
time  afforded  him  by  this  visit,  he  completed  the  portion  of 
the  Autobiography  which  carries  the  story  from  his  birth,  in 
1706,  to  his  marriage,  in  1730.  The  work  was  not  taken  up 
again  until  Franklin  became  Minister  of  the  United  Colonies 
to  France.  While  residing  at  Passy,  in  1 784,  he  undertook  to 
continue  the  Autobiography,  but  wrote  only  a  few  pages  of  it 
in  all  at  this  time,  carrying  the  story  from  the  memorandum 
which  occurs  on  page  73  of  this  edition  as  far  as  page  97. 
Four  years  went  by,  in  which  the  manuscript  was  untouched. 
The  third  part  was  begun  in  1788,  when  he  had  returned  to 
Philadelphia,  and  this  carried  the  story  to  1757.  This  com 
pletes  the  Autobiography  as  it  was  printed  up  to  the  time  of 
Mr  Bigelow's  first  edition,  in  1867.  That  edition  contained 
a  fourth  part,  consisting  of  a  few  pages  written  late  in  1789. 

Benjamin  Franklin  died  in  the  spring  of  1790,  leaving  a 
will  by  which  all  his  papers  and  manuscripts  were  committed 


INTRODUCTION  ix 

to  the  care  of  his  grandson,  William  Temple  Franklin ;  and 
it  was  at  once  understood  that  the  young  Franklin  was  pre 
paring  his  grandfather's  Autobiography  for  the  press.  A  few 
months  later  William  Temple  Franklin  sailed  for  England,  for 
the  avowed  purpose  of  publishing  his  grandfather's  works. 
It  was,  however,  twenty-seven  years  —  thrice  the  number 
enjoined  by  Horace  for  the  ripening  of  literature  —  be 
fore  the  promise  was  fulfilled.  An  ugly  story  was  circu 
lated  widely  in  the  periodical  press  that  William  Temple 
Franklin  delayed  the  publication  of  his  grandfather's  papers 
and  suppressed  some  of  them  entirely  for  the  consideration 
of  a  suitable  sum  in  hand,  paid  him  by  the  British  Govern 
ment.  Proof  of  the  accusation,  however,  has  always  been 
wanting,  and  the  trend  of  the  evidence  is  to  make  it  less  than 
probable.  Yet  the  first  edition  of  the  Autobiography  ap 
peared,  oddly  enough,  in  a  French  translation,  in  Paris,  in 
1791.  This  translation,  which  includes  only  the  first  of  the 
four  portions  of  the  Autobiography,  was  quite  surely  made 
from  one  of  the  copies  which  Franklin  is  known  to  have 
sent  to  his  friends,  Le  Veillard  and  Rochefoucault  of  Paris, 
and  Vaughan  of  London,  though  the  name  of  the  French 
translator  has  eluded  the  most  anxious  research. 

The  first  English  version  of  the  Autobiography  appeared 
in  1793.  This  was  a  translation  of  the  French  edition  pub 
lished  two  years  earlier,  with  a  continuation  of  Franklin's 
life,  which  was  written  by  Doctor  Henry  Stuber,  and  printed 
serially  in  the  Columbian  Magazine  at  Philadelphia.  This, 
the  so-called  Robinson  edition,  was  twice  reprinted  in  Lon 
don,  and  was  soon  pirated  in  Dublin,  Dundee,  Edinburgh, 
New  York,  Salem,  and  other  cities.  It  remained  the  stand 
ard  edition  of  the  Autobiography  until  1817,  when  the 
William  Temple  Franklin  edition  appeared.  This  in  turn 
remained  the  standard  edition  until  that  of  Mr  Bigelow  ap 
peared,  in  1867. 


x  INTRODUCTION 

The  curious  fact  that  one  of  the  most  popular  books  in 
the  English  language,  which  had  run  through  scores  of  edi 
tions,  was  printed  first  in  its  own  tongue  in  a  translation  from 
a  translation,  and  that  the  original  manuscript  had  never 
been  discovered,  attracted  from  time  to  time  the  attention 
of  curious  book-lovers  and  students  of  Franklin's  life.  It 
was  reserved  for  the  Honorable  John  Bigelow  to  run  the 
autograph  to  its  hiding-place  and  give  it  to  the  world.  In 
1866,  while  Mr  Bigelow  was  the  Minister  of  the  United 
States  to  France,  the  idea  occurred  to  him  that  the  original 
manuscript  of  the  complete  Autobiography  might  be  in  that 
country.  Some  inquiries  after  it  were  started,  which  at  first 
proved  unsuccessful;  but  in  the  winter  of  1867,  after  Mr 
Bigelow  had  left  Paris,  and  was  in  London,  on  his  way 
homeward  to  the  United  States,  he  received  from  M.  Labou- 
laye,  who  had  been  in  quest  of  the  manuscript,  a  note  an 
nouncing  its  discovery  in  the  possession  of  M.  de  Senarmont, 
a  descendant  of  M.  Le  Veillard. 

Mr  Bigelow  at  once  wrote  to  his  friend  William  H. 
Huntington,  who  was  living  in  Paris,  authorizing  him  to 
examine  the  manuscript  and  make  an  offer  for  it  of  1 5,000 
francs.  Mr  Huntington  replied  in  a  series  of  letters  of  such 
vivacity  that  they  deserve  to  become  classic  in  the  history 
of  American  bibliophily : 


(High  private  and  fiducial) 

22  jfanvier,  '67. 
"DEAR  MR  BIGELOW: 

Yours  of  no  date  whatever  reached  me  Saturday,  and  that 
of  M.  Laboulaye  the  same  afternoon.  M.  L[aboulaye] 
knows  nothing  more  of  the  MSS.  and  portrait  than  what  he 
wrote  you ;  gave  me  letter  of  presentation  to  M.  Senarmont, 


INTRODUCTION  xi 

whom  he  does  not  know,  in  the  which  he  mentioned 
your  name  with  full  titles,  and  addressed  it  78  Rue  de 
Verneuil. 

It  was  late  to  go  there  that  day.  A  "glance  at  the  map" 
will  show  you  that  it  is  the  one-fourth  St  Germain,  and  so 
I  did  not  go  Sunday. 

Fytte  Second 

After  breakfast  and  "girding  myself  up"  —  how  much 
easier  one  feels  after  it! — I  took  the  letter  in  my  hand  on 
this  blessed  day,  and  got  myself  up  in  the  highest  number  in 
the  Rue  de  Verneuil,  which  I  found,  like  Franklin's  Me 
moirs,  broken  off  some  time  before  78.  Whereupon  "I 
fetched  a  compass,"  as  St  Paul  would  say,  and  ran  for  Rue 
de  Varennes,  where  I  presently  made  No.  98,  and  hailing 
the  concierge,  found  I  had  reached  port  this  time. 

Oh,  such  a  concierge  —  both  he  and  his  female !  —  repu 
table,  civil,  in  a  comfortable  room.  While  getting  up  a 
broad,  clean  staircase,  did  hear  bell  ringing  in  the  court.  By 
the  time  I  reached  the  door  au  2me,  a  gentle  domestic  was 
already  there.  The  dining-room  was  thoroughly  warmed; 
through  the  open  door,  into  the  salon;  a  carpet  continuous 
with  the  parquet,  and  comfortable  chairs,  and  other  quietly, 
not  newly  rich  furnishing,  and  still  another  fire,  offered  so 
many  peaceful  indications  that  here  was  not  a  shop  to  buy 
things  cheap  in.  M.  de  S.  presently  appeared  from  up-stairs 
(occupy  two  floors,  then!)  Handsome  (not  pretty),  33  a  37 
years  of  age,  courteous,  shrewd  I  guess,  but  really  a  gentle 
man.  He  said  that  the  MSS.  were : 

i.  The  original  Autobiography,  with  interlinings,  era 
sures,  etc.,  from  which  the  copy  was  made  that  was  sent  to 
W.  T.  Franklin,  and  the  first  translation:  It  is  in  folio, 
bound,  complete. 


xii  INTRODUCTION 

2.  Letters,  mostly,  he  thinks,  to  M.  Veillard,  not  relating 
to  politics  —  at  least  not  specially  political  —  friendly  letters, 
—  and  not,  he  thinks,  ever  communicated  to  Mr  Sparks  or 
other  book-making  person.  The  portrait  is  by  Duplessis,  and, 
according  to  a  "  tradition  in  the  family,'*  the  original,  not  the 
replica:  it  was  given  by  B.  F.  to  M.  Veillard. 

He  had  neither  MSS.  nor  portrait  in  the  house:  they  are 
at  his  cousin's  (who  is,  as  I  understand,  part  owner  of  them). 
On  Wednesday  I  am  to  go  to  No.  98  Rue  de  V.  again,  when 
he  will  have  them  there  or  will  accompany  me  to  his  cousin 
to  see  them.  He  did  reside  formerly  in  Amiens,  where  he 
or  his  father  had  these  things.  An  American,  he  thinks,  did 
come  some  years  ago  to  see  the  portrait  there ;  name  of  that 
stranger  unknown ;  also  his  quality,  whether  merely  an  in 
quisitive  traveller ;  is  ready  but  not  eager  to  sell  (if  he  knows 
himself)  at  25,000  francs  the  lot;  does  not  want  to  sell  any 
one  of  the  three  articles  separately.  Does  not  know  that  they 
are  mercantilely  worth  25,000  francs,  but  intimates  that  he 
shall  run  the  risk  of  waiting  for  or  provoking  the  chance  of 
that  price  being  given.  Has  been  applied  to  by  a  photo 
grapher  (this  some  time  ago)  to  photograph  the  portrait: 
declined  proposition  at  the  time,  but  now  conceives  that  it 
might  gratify  curiosity  of  Americans  coming  to  Exposition 
next  May  to  see  copies  of  it,  or  the  original  hung  up  there ! 

I  fancy  that  this  Universal  French-Exposition  idea  stands 
more  in  the  way  of  reducing  the  price  than  anything  else. 

I  write  you  all  these  things  so  that,  if  you  see  fit,  you  can 
let  me  know  before  Wednesday  noon  whether  1 5,000  francs 
is  your  last  price.  Please  write  me  by  mail  any  suggestions  or 
directions  you  will :  also  how,  in  case  he  does  yield  to  the 
charm  of  15,000  down,  and  I  can  get  the  MSS.  and  portrait 
in  time,  I  am  to  send  them  to  you.  Suppose  M.  de  S.  yields  on 
Wednesday  the  23d,  I  get  your  money  Saturday  the  26th,  and 
the  articles  that  night.  I  express  them  Sunday  morning  the 


INTRODUCTION  xiii 

27th.  And  seeing  we  are  in  France,  that  is  the  quickest  time 
we  could  hope  to  make.  I  must  hurry  now  to  catch  the  mail. 

Yours  truly, 

W.  H.  HUNTINGTON. 
PARIS  (8  Rue  de  Boursault),  23  Jan.)  1867. 

DEAR  MR.  BIGELOW: 

I  have  seen  the  Frankliniseries  (say  Franklinienacs).  The 
autobiography  is  writ  on  large  foolscap,  bound  very  simply, 
but  without  the  slightest  lesion  of  the  pages.  This  is  undoubt 
edly  the  original  manuscript,  with  interlining,  erasures,  marg 
inal  notes,  and  blots  (of  which  one  smasher,  that  was  smatched 
thin  nearly  over  one  page)  of  B.  F.  of  the  period.  It  is  com 
plete  in  both  parts.  The  French  publication  of  1791  stops 
with  the  first  part,  you  recollect  —  and  more  complete  than 
the  "clean  copy"  from  which  W.  T.  Franklin  printed  the 
two  parts ;  /.  e.9  it  has  several  more  pages  after  the  arrival  in 
London  in  1 757,  where  W.  T.  F.'s  print  stops.  I  should  think 
there  are  other  passages  in  this  MS.  omitted  by  W.  T.  F.,  or 
by  the  writer  of  the  clean  copy.  The  MS.  closes  with  these 
words:  "They  were  never  put  in  execution." 

Of  the  letters,  only  two  or  three  are  from  B.  F.  —  one 
dated  Philadelphia,  1787;  another,  ditto,  1788;  i6ori4  are 
from  W.  Temple  Franklin,  2  from  Sarah  Bache,  2  from  B.  F. 
Bache:  all  addressed  to  M.  Veillard.  I  judge,  from  what  M. 
Paul  de  Senarmont  said,  that  they  do  not  relate  to  political 
subjects.  I  had  not  time  to  read  any  of  them,  having  to  go  to 
M.  George  de  Senarmont,  the  cousin,  to  see  the  portrait. 

It  is  nearly  a  half-length,  life-size  pastel,  perfectly  well 
preserved,  under  glass,  not  a  franc  of  additional  value  from  the 
frame.  It  is  not  signed.  A  labelled  black  and  gilt  statement, 
which  is  undoubtedly  true,  is  attached  to  the  bottom  of  the 
frame,  and  reads  nearly  as  follows:  "Portrait  de  Benjamin 
Franklin,  age  77,  donne  par  luimeme  a  M.  Veillard.  Peint 


xiv  INTRODUCTION 

par  J.  S.  Duplessis,  1783."  I  have  no  doubt  of  the  genuineness 
of  the  portrait.  M.  S.  says  that  the  family  tradition  is  that  this 
was  the  original,  and  the  other  one,  which  was  in  possession 
of  W.  T.  Franklin  (?),  the  replica.  Duplessis  had  a  good  repu 
tation  as  a  portrait-painter.  The  Biographic  Nouvelle  cites, 
among  twelve  of  his  most  esteemed  portraits,  one  of  Franklin 
in  the  "  Galerie  Pamard  a  Avignon."  The  one  that  Mr  Edward 
Brooks  bought  of  J.  de  Mancy,  or  his  heirs,  a  few  years  ago, 
was  claimed  to  be  by  Duplessis.  That  was  in  oils;  it  was 
offered  to  me  by  old  de  Mancy,  in  1852,  for  2000  francs. 
There  was  a  break  in  his  history  of  it  that  led  me  to  suspect 
that  it  might  be  a  copy. 

M.  de  Senarmont  holds  firmly  to  the  fixed  price  of  25,- 
ooo  francs :  agrees  that  it  may  be  an  extravagant  one,  but 
will  not  set  any  other  till  after  the  Exposition.  He  means  to 
advertise  Americans  here  of  the  manuscripts  and  portrait,  and 
where  they  may  be  seen,  depositing  them  for  that  end  with 
some  bookseller  or  other  party.  Meantime,  he  is  quite  will 
ing  to  keep  my  address,  and  in  case  he  does  not  sell  at  Ex 
position  season,  to  talk  further  about  the  matter.  The  manu 
scripts  and  portraits  are,  as  I  understand  him,  an  undivided 
family  property.  .  .  . 

PARIS  (8  Rue  de  Boursault},  January  27,  1867. 

EVER  HONORED: 

My  passage  out  from  apartment  in  search  of  breakfast  this 
morning  was  obstructed  by  the  concierge  handing  your  letter 
of  24th.  Yours  of  22d  leaving  all  to  my  discretion,  I  thought 
it  discreetest  not  to  spend  so  large  a  sum  as  25m.  frs.  with 
out  positive  orders.  These  last  instructions  being  decisive,  I 
gat  myself; 

Onely,  to  Munroe  &  Co.'s,  where  I  showed  Mr  Richards 
(who  had  his  hat  on)  your  enabling  act  to  them  for  my  draw 
ing  of  Pactolian  draughts  to  the  amount  of  25m.  frs. 


INTRODUCTION  xv ' 

2ly,  to  Legoupy,  a  printseller  of  my  acquaintance,  on 
Blvd.  de  la  Madeleine,  to  ask  how  best  the  portrait  of  B.  F. 
could  be  safely  packed,  with  or  without  the  glass.  "  With," 
quoth  he  decidedly.  Then  I  asked  if  he  would  charge  himself 
with  the  packing,  he  being  much  in  the  way  of  sending  large 
framed  and  glazed  engravings  out  of  the  city ;  and  he  said  he 
would. 

Threely,  to  the  S.  E.  R.  way  and  package  and  express 
office,  to  ask  at  what  latest  minute  they  would  receive  and 
forward  packages  to  London,  which  proved  to  be  5  o'clock 
P.M. 

Four  mostly  to  breakfast.  Presently  after  that  refection  I 
girded  up  my  loins  and  took  voiture  for  98  Rue  de  Varennes. 
Coming  into  the  presence  of  M.  Paul  de  Senarmont,  I  spake, 
saying :  "  I  will  take  the  Franklineaments  and  MSS.  on  these 
three  conditions  :  I.  That  I  take  them  immediately ;  2.  That 
you  deduct  200  francs  from  the  25,000  frs.  to  pay  my  expenses 
for  going  with  them  to  London;  3.  That  you  furnish — send 
ing  it  to  me  hereafter  for  Mr  Bigelow  —  the  history  of  the 
transitions  of  the  three  Franklinienacs  from  M.  Veillard's  to 
your  hands." 

All  of  which  being  agreed  to,  I  wrote  then  and  there  an 
order,  draught,  draft,  or  whatever  the  name  of  the  paper  may 
be,  on  J.  M.  &  Co.  for  24,800  francs  in  his  favor  at  3  days'  vis 
ion.  Then  P.  de  S.  and  the  literary  remains  of  B.  F.,  and  self 
with  cane,  being  bestowed  in  the  voiture  (No.  of  the  same  not 
preserved),  we  careered  away  to  Cousin  George  de  Senarmont's, 
No.  23  Ruede  Sevres.  While  Paul  went  in  unto  George,  to 
the  bedroom  of  him — for  George  was  poorly,  it  seems,  this 
morning,  and  late  abed;  leastway,  late  to  breakfast  —  I  ven 
tured  to  relieve  B.  F.  from  the  state  of  suspense  he  was  in  on 
the  wall  of  the  salon,  screwed  out  of  his  frame  the  iron  ring, 
and,  in  the  distraction  of  the  moment,  gave  it  to  Cousin 
George's  housekeeper. 


xvi  INTRODUCTION 

That  was  what  B.  F.  calls  an  erratum,  for  I  have  often  use 
for  that  sort  of  screw  —  which  the  housekeeper,  let  us  hope, 
could  not  care  for. 

Repacking,  now,  Paul  de  S.,  the  MSS.,  umbrella,  cane,  and 
B.  F.  his  eidolon,  which  I  sustained  ever  with  one  hand,  into  the 
carriage,  I  bade  cocher  drive  to  7  Rue  Scribe,  where  I  present 
ed  M.  P.  de  S.  to  Mr  J.  Munroe,  to  whom  I  committed  your 
enabling  note  and  identified  Paul.  Then  P.  de  S.  wished  good 
voyage  to  London,  and  the  cocher  asked,  as  I  was  delicately 
handling  B.  F.'s  portrait,  if  that  was  the  Franklin  who  perished 
in  the  Northern  Seas.  Queer  but  disappointing.  Cocher  evi 
dently  took  a  lively  interest  in  the  frozen  party,  and  but  a  cold 
indifferent  one  in  the  to  him  unheard-of  philosopher.  Now 
straight  to  Legoupy's,  whose  packer  declared  he  could  have  all 
ready  by  4  o'clock.  I  did  not  believe  him,  but  by  way  of  en 
couragement  pretended  to,  and  held  out  to  him  as  reward,  in 
case  of  success,  that  I  would  gladly  contribute  something  to  the 
Washington  Monument,  which,  let  us  hope,  will  never  be 
completed. 

There  was  time  enough  between  this  and  five  o'clock  to  go 
to  the  Legation,  but  small  chance  of  finding  Mr  Dix  there. 
So  I  went  to  the  consulate  and  offered  David  to  pay  his  passage 
and  expenses  if  he  would  go  with  B.  F.  to  London  to-night. 
David  would  gladly  but  could  not;  had  infrangible  pre-engage- 
ments  for  this  evening ;  I  almost  found,  but  missed  another 
man,  who  would,  it  was  thought,  take  charge  of  the  box  and 
surely  deliver  it  Sunday,  for  50  francs.  During  these  entrefaites, 
four  o'clock  sounded.  At  one  quarter  past,  the  caisse  was  on 
the  back  of  Legoupy's  boy  following  your  servant  up  the  Boul 
evard.  The  very  best  I  could  do  at  the  R.  and  express  office 
was  to  obtain  the  most  positive  assurance,  that  a  special  mes 
senger  should  take  the  box  from  Cannon  Street  to  Cleveland 
Square  before  noon  on  Monday.  There  is  no  delivery  at  any 
price  on  Sunday.  I  was  on  the  point  of  deciding — what  I  had 


INTRODUCTION  xvii 

been  debating  ever  since  morning — to  take  a  go  and  return 
ticket  and  carry  box  and  baggage  to  London  myself.  But  you 
know  how  I  hate  travelling  at  all  times.  On  leaving  the 
express  office,  I  passed  a  brief  telegrammatic  sentence  to  your 
address,  through  the  window  of  Grand  Hotel  T.  bureau.  The 
gentleman  who  counted  its  letters  estimated  them  at  6  francs, 
which  is  more,  proportionately,  than  what  you  paid  for  B.  F/s 
MSS.  and  flattering  to  me.  If  I  am  ever  able,  I  shall  set  up 
a  telegraph  wire,  and  dance  on  to  fortune. 

Although  my  way  along  the  quais  and  other  marts  where 
books  do  congregate,  are  not  as  they  were  when  you  were  my 
fellow  pilgrim,  yet  are  they  still  not  all  without  pleasantness. 
Thus,  coming  away  from  my  annual  visit  to  the  neuvaine  fete 
of  Ste  Genevieve  three  weeks  ago,  I  fell  upon  the  rummest 
bronze  medallion  of  B.  Franklin  (hitherto  quite  unheard  of 
by  this  subscriber)  that  ever  you  could  conceive  of.  And  yet 
another  day,  one  of  those  days  lapsed  last  week  from  the  polar 
circles  into  the  more  temperate  society  of  our  Paris  time,  I 
clutched  with  numb  ringers  a  diminutive  little  4to  of  pp.  48 
with  this  title:  "La  Science  du  Bonhomme  Richard  par  M. 
Franklin :  suive  des  dix  commandments  de  1'Honnete  Homme, 
par  M.Fintry — prixquatresols.  Se  vend  a  Paris,  chez  Renault, 
Libraire,  Rue  de  la  Harpe.  — 1778."  So,  another  day,  was 
all  my  homeward  walk  a  path  of  exceeding  peace  by  reason  of 
th«  primary,  preadamite,  genuine,  juvenile,  original  Eloge  de 
Franklin  hugged  under  my  arm,  like  healing  in  the  wing.  But 
the  half  of  the  enjoyment  of  these  good  gifts  of  fortune  fails 
me,  in  that  I  have  no  one  now  to  congratulate  me  or  hate  me 
for  their  acquisition. 

M.  de  Senarmont  promises  me  a  letter  giving  the  historique 
of  the  triad  of  Franklin  treasures,  from  the  time  of  M.  le  Veil- 
lard  to  his  possession  of  them.  It  will  not  amount  to  much, 
— not  from  lack  of  willingness  on  his  part,  but  because  the 
special  sense  is  wanting  in  him.  A  dry  authenticating  certi- 


xviii  INTRODUCTION 

ficate,  however,  I  will  insist  on  having,  and  will  forward  it  to 
your  American  address,  which  do  not  forget  to  advertise  me 
of  from  Liverpool  or  London. 

M.  de  S.  asks  me  to  ask  you,  if  you  have  the  Duplessis  pho 
tographed,  to  send  him  two  or  three  cards ;  please  add  one 
other  or  two  for  me,  since  you  will  be  apt  to  send  them  to  my 
address.  I  shall  be  glad  to  have  word  from  you,  though  in 
your  flitting  hurry  it  must  be  brief,  from  London,  and  much 
gladder  to  have  news  from  America  that  you  and  yours  are  all 
safely  and  soundly  arrived  there. 

With  best  regards  and  good  wishes  to  all  your  house,  I  rest 

Yours  truly, 

W.  H.  HUNTINGTON. 

Here  followeth  an  account  of  ye  expenditures,  outlays,  and 
disbursements  of  ye  Franklin  Expedition. 

FRANCS. 

To  a  chariot  and  ye  horseman  thereof.  Hire  of  the 
vehicles  and  pourboire,  as  it  were  oats  to  the  driver 
for  the  greater  speed 5 

To  packing  B.  Franklin  under  glass  and  in  MSS.  with 
extra  haste  and  yet  care 9 

To  the  binding  of  B.  F.  on  a  boy  his  back  and  port 
erage  of  the  same I 

To  studiously  brief  telegrammatic  phrase  sent  to 
London  6 

To  arduous  sperrits  (with  water)  taken  for  sustentation 

of  the  body  thys  day 0.50 

Condamned  tottle 21.50 

The  certificate  given  by  M.  de  Senarmont  to  Mr  Bigelow 
accounts  for  the  existence  of  the  manuscript  in  France.  And 
bad  as  the  circumstances  seem  upon  their  face  they  are  easily 
explicable.  William  Temple  Franklin,  when  he  came  to  pre 
pare  the  Autobiography  for  the  press,  seems  to  have  found  it 


INTRODUCTION  xix 

none  too  legible.  Recalling,  therefore,  that  a  fair  copy,  per 
haps  made  by  his  own  hand,  had  been  sent  to  M.  le  Veillard, 
he  wrote  to  the  latter  asking  him  to  give  him  this  fair  copy 
for  the  greater  convenience  of  the  printer,  and  offering  him  in 
return  the  original  autograph  manuscript  of  Franklin.  To 
this  M.  le  Veillard  quite  naturally  agreed,  and  so  the  original 
manuscript  passed  into  his  hands.  Returning  triumphantly  to 
America  with  the  autograph  manuscript  of  the  Autobiography, 
a  still  greater  triumph  awaited  Mr  Bigelow  when  he  found 
time  to  read  it  critically.  He  then  discovered  that  the  text  as 
printed  by  William  Temple  Franklin  contained  twelve  hun 
dred  distinct  deviations  from  the  autograph  original,  nearly 
all  of  them  the  obvious  result  of  a  painstaking  but  ill-advised 
effort  to  chasten  Franklin's  virile  and  picturesque  prose.  We 
have,  for  a  single  example,  in  the  edition  of  1817  the  correct 
but  drab  phrase,  "stared  with  astonishment,"  where  Franklin 
had  written,  "stared  like  a  pig  poisoned."  Mr  Bigelow  also 
verified  Mr  Huntington's  statement  that  the  autograph  manu 
script  contained  a  fourth  part  of  the  Autobiography,  some 
pages  in  length,  which  was  not  included  in  the  edition  of  1 8 1 7. 
Apparently  William  Temple  Franklin,  in  his  concern  for  the 
ease  of  the  printer,  had  traded  the  autograph  manuscript  with 
out  going  to  the  trouble  of  reading  it,  and  so  was  unaware  that 
it  was  more  complete  than  the  one  he  received  in  return. 

This  is  the  history  of  the  authentic  text  of  Franklin's  Auto 
biography  so  far  as  it  is  a  matter  of  approved  record.  A  host 
of  provocative  questions  still  await  a  convincing  answer :  Who 
was  the  translator  of  the  first  French  edition  ?  Where  did  he 
get  his  copy?  Why  did  William  Temple  Franklin  delay  the 
publication  for  twenty-seven  years?  Did  he  or  the  corrector 
of  the  press  attempt  the  emasculation  of  the  autobiographer's 
style  ?  The  answers  to  these  and  many  similar  questions  will 
lie  hid  in  the  backward  of  time  until  some  acute  and  patient 
investigator  has  the  fortune  to  find  some  forgotten  scrap  of 


xx  INTRODUCTION 

manuscript,  some  unregarded  paragraph,  that  will  shoot  a  sud 
den  shaft  of  light  to  the  heart  of  the  maze. 

Yet  such  questions  are  of  little  moment  save  for  the  special 
ist.  What  is  of  permanent  importance  to  the  world  is  that 
the  Autobiography  has  been  restored  to  its  true  and  uncorrupt- 
ed  text,  wherein  we  may  delightfully  learn  to  know  the  finest 
example  in  history  of  the  self-made  man — the  ideal  type  of 
the  wisely  humorous  philosopher  of  things  as  they  are,  incar 
nated  in  a  human  personality  at  once  ripe,  various,  charming, 
sound,  unique. 


THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

OF 

BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN 


Benjamin  Franklin 

HIS  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 


TWYFORD,  at  the  Bishop  of  St.  AsapWs,  1771. 

DEAR  SON  :  I  have  ever  had  pleasure  in  obtaining  any 
little  anecdotes  of  my  ancestors.  You  may  remember 
the  inquiries  I  made  among  the  remains  of  my  rela 
tions  when  you  were  with  me  in  England,  and  the  journey 
I  undertook  for  that  purpose.  Imagining  it  may  be  equally 
agreeable  to  you  to  know  the  circumstances  of  my  life,  many 
of  which  you  are  yet  unacquainted  with,  and  expecting  the 
enjoyment  of  a  week's  uninterrupted  leisure  in  my  present 
country  retirement,  I  sit  down  to  write  them  for  you.  To 
which  I  have  besides  some  other  inducements.  Having 
emerged  from  the  poverty  and  obscurity  in  which  I  was  born 
and  bred,  to  a  state  of  affluence  and  some  degree  of  reputation 
in  the  world,  and  having  gone  so  far  through  life  with  a  con 
siderable  share  of  felicity,  the  conducing  means  I  made  use  of, 
which  with  the  blessing  of  God  so  well  succeeded,  my  pos 
terity  may  like  to  know,  as  they  may  find  some  of  them  suit 
able  to  their  own  situations,  and  therefore  fit  to  be  imitated. 

That  felicity,  when  I  reflected  on  it,  has  induced  me  some 
times  to  say,  that  were  it  offered  to  my  choice,  I  should  have 
no  objection  to  a  repetition  of  the  same  life  from  its  beginning, 
only  asking  the  advantages  authors  have  in  a  second  edition  to 
correct  some  faults  of  the  first.  So  I  might,  besides  correcting 
the  faults,  change  some  sinister  accidents  and  events  of  it  for 
others  more  favourable.  But  though  this  were  denied,  I  should 
still  accept  the  offer.  Since  such  a  repetition  is  not  to  be 


2          THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

expected,  the  next  thing  most  like  living  one's  life  over  again 
seems  to  be  a  recollection  of  that  life,  and  to  make  that  recol 
lection  as  durable  as  possible  by  putting  it  down  in  writing. 

Hereby,  too,  I  shall  indulge  the  inclination  so  natural  in  old 
men,  to  be  talking  of  themselves  and  their  own  past  actions ; 
and  I  shall  indulge  it  without  being  tiresome  to  others,  who, 
through  respect  to  age,  might  conceive  themselves  obliged  to 
give  me  a  hearing,  since  this  may  be  read  or  not  as  any  one 
pleases.  And,  lastly  (I  may  as  well  confess  it,  since  my  denial 
of  it  will  be  believed  by  nobody),  perhaps  I  shall  a  good  deal 
gratify  my  own  'vanity.  Indeed,  I  scarce  ever  heard  or  saw  the 
introductory  words,  "  Without  vanity  I  may  say"  etc.,  but  some 
vain  thing  immediately  followed.  Most  people  dislike  vanity 
in  others,  whatever  share  they  have  of  it  themselves ;  but  I 
give  it  fair  quarter  wherever  I  meet  with  it,  being  persuaded 
that  it  is  often  productive  of  good  to  the  possessor,  and  to  others 
that  are  within  his  sphere  of  action  ;  and  therefore,  in  many 
cases,  it  would  not  be  altogether  absurd  if  a  man  were  to  thank 
God  for  his  vanity  among  the  other  comforts  of  life. 

And  now  I  speak  of  thanking  God,  I  desire  with  all  humil 
ity  to  acknowledge  that  I  owe  the  mentioned  happiness  of  my 
past  life  to  His  kind  providence,  which  lead  me  to  the  means 
I  used  and  gave  them  success.  My  belief  of  this  induces  me 
to  hope,  though  I  must  not  presume,  that  the  same  goodness  will 
still  be  exercised  toward  me,  in  continuing  that  happiness,  or 
enabling  me  to  bear  a  fatal  reverse,  which  I  may  experience  as 
others  have  done  ;  the  complexion  of  my  future  fortune  being 
known  to  Him  only  in  whose  power  it  is  to  bless  to  us  even 
our  afflictions. 

The  notes  one  of  my  uncles  (who  had  the  same  kind  of  curi 
osity  in  collecting  family  anecdotes)  once  put  into  my  hands, 
furnished  me  with  several  particulars  relating  to  our  ances 
tors.  From  these  notes  I  learned  that  the  family  had  lived  in 
the  same  village,  Ecton,  in  Northamptonshire,  for  three  hun- 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  3 

dred  years,  and  how  much  longer  he  knew  not  (perhaps  from 
the  time  when  the  name  of  Franklin,  that  before  was  the 
name  of  an  order  of  people,  was  assumed  by  them  as  a  sur 
name  when  others  took  surnames  all  over  the  kingdom),  on  a 
freehold  of  about  thirty  acres,  aided  by  the  smith's  business, 
which  had  continued  in  the  family  till  his  time,  the  eldest  son 
being  always  bred  to  that  business ;  a  custom  which  he  and 
my  father  followed  as  to  their  eldest  sons.  When  I  searched 
the  registers  at  Ecton,  I  found  an  account  of  their  births,  mar 
riages  and  burials  from  the  year  1555  only,  there  being  no 
registers  kept  in  that  parish  at  any  time  preceding.  By  that 
register  I  perceived  that  I  was  the  youngest  son  of  the  young 
est  son  for  five  generations  back.  My  grandfather  Thomas, 
who  was  born  in  1598,  lived  at  Ecton  till  he  grew  too  old  to 
follow  business  any  longer,  when  he  went  to  live  with  his 
son  John,  a  dyer  at  Banbury,  in  Oxfordshire,  with  whom  my 
father  served  an  apprenticeship.  There  my  grandfather  died 
and  lies  buried.  We  saw  his  gravestone  in  1758.  His  eldest 
son  Thomas  lived  in  the  house  at  Ecton,  and  left  it  with  the 
land  to  his  only  child,  a  daughter,  who,  with  her  husband, 
one  Fisher,  of  Wellingborough,  sold  it  to  Mr.  Isted,  now  lord 
of  the  manor  there.  My  grandfather  had  four  sons  that  grew 
up,  viz. :  Thomas,  John,  Benjamin,  and  Josiah.  I  will  give  you 
what  account  I  can  of  them,  at  this  distance  from  my  papers, 
and  if  these  are  not  lost  in  my  absence,  you  will  among  them 
find  many  more  particulars. 

Thomas  was  bred  a  smith  under  his  father ;  but,  being  in 
genious,  and  encouraged  in  learning  (as  all  my  brothers  were) 
by  an  Esquire  Palmer,  then  the  principal  gentleman  in  that 
parish,  he  qualified  himself  for  the  business  of  scrivener ;  be 
came  a  considerable  man  in  the  county ;  was  a  chief  mover 
of  all  public-spirited  undertakings  for  the  county  or  town  of 
Northampton,  and  his  own  village,  of  which  many  instances 
were  related  of  him;  and  much  taken  notice  of  and  patronized 


4          THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

by  the  then  Lord  Halifax.  He  died  in  1702,  January  6,  old 
style,  just  four  years  to  a  day  before  I  was  born.  The  account 
we  received  of  his  life  and  character  from  some  old  people 
at  Ecton,  I  remember,  struck  you  as  something  extraordinary, 
from  its  similarity  to  what  you  knew  of  mine.  "  Had  he  died 
on  the  same  day,"  you  said,  "one  might  have  supposed  a  trans 
migration." 

John  was  bred  a  dyer,  I  believe  of  woolens.  Benjamin  was 
bred  a  silk-dyer,  serving  an  apprenticeship  at  London.  He  was 
an  ingenious  man.  I  remember  him  well,  for  when  I  was  a  boy 
he  came  over  to  my  father  in  Boston,  and  lived  in  the  house 
with  us  some  years.  He  lived  to  a  great  age.  His  grandson, 
Samuel  Franklin,  now  lives  in  Boston.  He  left  behind  him 
two  quarto  volumes,  MS.,  of  his  own  poetry,  consisting  of 
little  occasional  pieces  addressed  to  his  friends  and  relations, 
of  which  the  following,  sent  to  me,  is  a  specimen.  He  had 
formed  a  short-hand  of  his  own,  which  he  taught  me,  but,  never 
practising  it,  I  have  now  forgot  it.  I  was  named  after  this  uncle, 
there  being  a  particular  affection  between  him  and  my  father. 
He  was  very  pious,  a  great  attender  of  sermons  of  the  best  preach 
ers,  which  he  took  down  in  his  short-hand,  and  had  with  him 
many  volumes  of  them.  He  was  also  much  of  a  politician ; 
too  much,  perhaps,  for  his  station.  There  fell  lately  into  my 
hands,  in  London,  a  collection  he  had  made  of  all  the  principal 
pamphlets  relating  to  public  affairs,  from  1 641  to  1717;  many 
of  the  volumes  are  wanting  as  appears  by  the  numbering,  but 
there  still  remain  eight  volumes  in  folio,  and  twenty-four  in 
quarto  and  in  octavo.  A  dealer  in  old  books  met  with  them, 
and  knowing  me  by  my  sometimes  buying  of  him,  he  brought 
them  to  me.  It  seems  my  uncle  must  have  left  them  here  when 
he  went  to  America,  which  was  above  fifty  years  since.  There 
are  many  of  his  notes  in  the  margins. 

This  obscure  family  of  ours  was  early  in  the  Reformation, 
and  continued  Protestants  through  the  reign  of  Queen  Mary, 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  5 

when  they  were  sometimes  in  danger  of  trouble  on  account  of 
their  zeal  against  popery.  They  had  got  an  English  Bible,  and 
to  conceal  and  secure  it,  it  was  fastened  open  with  tapes  under 
and  within  the  cover  of  a  joint-stool.  When  my  great-great 
grandfather  read  it  to  his  family,  he  turned  up  the  joint-stool 
upon  his  knees,  turning  over  the  leaves  then  under  the  tapes. 
One  of  the  children  stood  at  the  door  to  give  notice  if  he  saw 
the  apparitor  coming,  who  was  an  officer  of  the  spiritual  court. 
In  that  case  the  stool  was  turned  down  again  upon  its  feet,  when 
the  Bible  remained  concealed  under  it  as  before.  This  anecdote 
I  had  from  my  uncle  Benjamin.  The  family  continued  all  of  the 
Church  of  England  till  about  the  end  of  Charles  the  Second's 
reign,  when  some  of  the  ministers  that  had  been  outed  for  non 
conformity  holding  conventicles  in  Northamptonshire,  Benja 
min  and  Josiah  adhered  to  them,  and  so  continued  all  their  lives : 
the  rest  of  the  family  remained  with  the  Episcopal  Church. 

Josiah,  my  father,  married  young,  and  carried  his  wife  with 
three  children  into  New  England,  about  1682.  The  conven 
ticles  having  been  forbidden  by  law,  and  frequently  disturbed, 
induced  some  considerable  men  of  his  acquaintance  to  remove 
to  that  country,  and  he  was  prevailed  with  to  accompany  them 
thither,  where  they  expected  to  enjoy  their  mode  of  religion 
with  freedom.  By  the  same  wife  he  had  four  children  more 
born  there,  and  by  a  second  wife  ten  more,  in  all  seventeen; 
of  which  I  remember  thirteen  sitting  at  one  time  at  his  table, 
who  all  grew  up  to  be  men  and  women,  and  married ;  I  was 
the  youngest  son,  and  the  youngest  child  but  two,  and  was  born 
in  Boston,  New  England.  My  mother,  the  second  wife,  was 
Abiah  Folger,  daughter  of  Peter  Folger,  one  of  the  first  settlers 
of  New  England,  of  whom  honorable  mention  is  made  by 
Cotton  Mather,  in  his  church  history  of  that  country,  entitled 
Magnalia  Christi  Americana,  as  "  a  godly  learned  Englishman" 
if  I  remember  the  words  rightly.  I  have  heard  that  he  wrote 
sundry  small  occasional  pieces,  but  only  one  of  them  was  printed, 


6  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

which  I  saw  now  many  years  since.  It  was  written  in  1 675,  in 
the  home-spun  verse  of  that  time  and  people,  and  addressed 
to  those  then  concerned  in  the  government  there.  It  was  in 
favor  of  liberty  of  conscience,  and  in  behalf  of  the  Baptists, 
Quakers,  and  other  sectaries  that  had  been  under  persecution, 
ascribing  the  Indian  wars,  and  other  distresses  that  had  befallen 
the  country,  to  that  persecution,  as  so  many  judgments  of  God 
to  punish  so  heinous  an  offense,  and  exhorting  a  repeal  of  those 
uncharitable  laws.  The  whole  appeared  to  me  as  written  with 
a  good  deal  of  decent  plainness  and  manly  freedom.  The  six 
concluding  lines  I  remember,  though  I  have  forgotten  the  two 
first  of  the  stanza ;  but  the  purport  of  them  was,  that  his  cen 
sures  proceeded  from  good-will,  and,  therefore,  he  would  be 
known  to  be  the  author. 

"  Because  to  be  a  libeller  (says  he) 

I  hate  it  with  my  heart ; 
From  Sherburne  town,  where  now  I  dwell, 

My  name  I  do  put  here  ; 
Without  offense  your  real  friend, 

It  is  Peter  Folgier." 

My  elder  brothers  were  all  put  apprentices  to  different  trades. 
I  was  put  to  the  grammar-school  at  eight  years  of  age,  my 
father  intending  to  devote  me,  as  the  tithe  of  his  sons,  to  the 
service  of  the  Church.  My  early  readiness  in  learning  to  read 
(which  must  have  been  very  early,  as  I  do  not  remember  when 
I  could  not  read),  and  the  opinion  of  all  his  friends  that  I  should 
certainly  make  a  good  scholar,  encouraged  him  in  this  purpose 
of  his.  My  uncle  Benjamin,  too,  approved  of  it,  and  proposed 
to  give  me  all  his  short-hand  volumes  of  sermons,  I  suppose  as 
a  stock  to  set  up  with,  if  I  would  learn  his  character.  I  contin 
ued,  however,  at  the  grammar-school  not  quite  one  year,  though 
in  that  time  I  had  risen  gradually  from  the  middle  of  the  class 
of  that  year  to  be  the  head  of  it,  and  farther  was  removed  into 
the  next  class  above  it,  in  order  to  go  with  that  into  the  third  at 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  7 

the  end  of  the  year.  But  my  father,  in  the  meantime,  from 
a  view  of  the  expense  of  a  college  education,  which  having  so 
large  a  family  he  could  not  well  afford,  and  the  mean  living 
many  so  educated  were  afterwards  able  to  obtain  —  reasons 
that  he  gave  to  his  friends  in  my  hearing  —  altered  his  first  in 
tention,  took  me  from  the  grammar-school,  and  sent  me  to 
a  school  for  writing  and  arithmetic,  kept  by  a  then  famous 
man,  Mr.  George  Brownell,  very  successful  in  his  profession 
generally,  and  that  by  mild,  encouraging  methods.  Under 
him  I  acquired  fair  writing  pretty  soon,  but  I  failed  in  the  arith 
metic,  and  made  no  progress  in  it.  At  ten  years  old  I  was  taken 
home  to  assist  my  father  in  his  business,  which  was  that  of  a  tal 
low-chandler  and  sope-boiler ;  a  business  he  was  not  bred  to, 
but  had  assumed  on  his  arrival  in  New  England,  and  on  finding 
his  dying  trade  would  not  maintain  his  family,  being  in  little 
request.  Accordingly,  I  was  employed  in  cutting  wick  for  the 
candles,  filling  the  dipping  mold  and  the  molds  for  cast  candles, 
attending  the  shop,  going  of  errands,  etc. 

I  disliked  the  trade,  and  had  a  strong  inclination  for  the  sea, 
but  my  father  declared  against  it ;  however,  living  near  the 
water,  I  was  much  in  and  about  it,  learnt  early  to  swim  well, 
and  to  manage  boats ;  and  when  in  a  boat  or  canoe  with  other 
boys,  I  was  commonly  allowed  to  govern,  especially  in  any  case 
of  difficulty ;  and  upon  other  occasions  I  was  generally  a  leader 
among  the  boys,  and  sometimes  led  them  into  scrapes,  of  which 
I  will  mention  one  instance,  as  it  shows  an  early  projecting 
public  spirit,  tho'  not  then  justly  conducted. 

There  was  a  salt-marsh  that  bounded  part  of  the  mill-pond, 
on  the  edge  of  which,  at  high  water,  we  used  to  stand  to  fish 
for  minnows.  By  much  trampling,  we  had  made  it  a  mere 
quagmire.  My  proposal  was  to  build  a  wharff  there  fit  for  us 
to  stand  upon,  and  I  showed  my  comrades  a  large  heap  of  stones, 
which  were  intended  for  a  new  house  near  the  marsh,  and  which 
would  very  well  suit  our  purpose.  Accordingly,  in  the  evening, 


8          THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

when  the  workmen  were  gone,  I  assembled  a  number  of  my 
play-fellows,  and  working  with  them  diligently  like  so  many 
emmets,  sometimes  two  or  three  to  a  stone,  we  brought  them 
all  away  and  built  our  little  wharff.  The  next  morning  the 
workmen  were  s-urprised  at  missing  the  stones,  which  were 
found  in  our  wharff.  Inquiry  was  made  after  the  removers ;  we 
were  discovered  and  complained  of;  several  of  us  were  cor 
rected  by  our  fathers ;  and,  though  I  pleaded  the  usefulness  of 
the  work,  mine  convinced  me  that  nothing  was  useful  which 
was  not  honest. 

I  think  you  may  like  to  know  something  of  his  person  and 
character.  He  had  an  excellent  constitution  of  body,  was  of 
middle  stature,  but  well  set,  and  very  strong;  he  was  ingenious, 
could  draw  prettily,  was  skilled  a  little  in  music,  and  had  a  clear 
pleasing  voice,  so  that  when  he  played  psalm  tunes  on  his  violin 
and  sung  withal,  as  he  sometimes  did  in  an  evening  after  the  busi 
ness  of  the  day  was  over,  it  was  extremely  agreeable  to  hear.  He 
had  a  mechanical  genius  too,  and,  on  occasion,  was  very  handy 
in  the  use  of  other  tradesmen's  tools ;  but  his  great  excellence 
lay  in  a  sound  understanding  and  solid  judgment  in  prudential 
matters,  both  in  private  and  publick  affairs.  In  the  latter,  in 
deed,  he  was  never  employed,  the  numerous  family  he  had  to 
educate  and  the  straitness  of  his  circumstances  keeping  him 
close  to  his  trade ;  but  I  remember  well  his  being  frequently 
visited  by  leading  people,  who  consulted  him  for  his  opinion  in 
affairs  of  the  town  or  of  the  church  he  belonged  to,  and  showed 
a  good  deal  of  respect  for  his  judgment  and  advice;  he  was  also 
much  consulted  by  private  persons  about  their  affairs  when  any 
difficulty  occurred,  and  frequently  chosen  an  arbitrator  between 
contending  parties.  At  his  table  he  liked  to  have,  as  often  as 
he  could,  some  sensible  friend  or  neighbor  to  converse  with, 
and  always  took  care  to  start  some  ingenious  or  useful  topic 
for  discourse,  which  might  tend  to  improve  the  minds  of  his 
children.  By  this  means  he  turned  our  attention  to  what  was 


JU.     4«^ ^ '/*«•/>    ''--*    ' 


N   PACE   or   THE  AUIOBIOGRAPHV 


V 

BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  9 

good,  just,  and  prudent  in  the  conduct  of  life  ;  and  little  or  no 
notice  was  ever  taken  of  what  related  to  the  victuals  on  the 
table,  whether  it  was  well  or  ill  dressed,  in  or  out  of  season,  of 
good  or  bad  flavor,  preferable  or  inferior  to  this  or  that  other 
thing  of  the  kind,  so  that  I  was  bro't  up  in  such  a  perfect  in 
attention  to  those  matters  as  to  be  quite  indifferent  what  kind 
of  food  was  set  before  me,  and  so  unobservant  of  it,  that  to  this 
day  if  I  am  asked  I  can  scarce  tell  a  few  hours  after  dinner  what 
I  dined  upon.  This  has  been  a  convenience  to  me  in  travelling, 
where  my  companions  have  been  sometimes  very  unhappy  for 
want  of  a  suitable  gratifi cation  of  their  more  delicate,  because 
better  instructed,  tastes  and  appetites. 

My  mother  had  likewise  an  excellent  constitution :  she 
suckled  all  her  ten  children.  I  never  knew  either  my  father  or 
mother  to  have  any  sickness  but  that  of  which  they  dy'd,  he  at 
89,  and  she  at  85  years  of  age.  They  lie  buried  together  at  Bos 
ton,  where  I  some  years  since  placed  a  marble  over  their  grave, 
with  this  inscription : 

JOSIAH  FRANKLIN, 

AND 

ABIAH  HIS  WIFE, 

LIE  HERE  INTERRED. 

THEY  LIVED  LOVINGLY  TOGETHER  IN  WEDLOCK 

FIFTY-FIVE  YEARS. 

WITHOUT  AN  ESTATE,  OR  ANY  GAINFUL  EMPLOYMENT, 
BY  CONSTANT  LABOR  AND  INDUSTRY, 

WITH  GOD'S  BLESSING, 
THEY  MAINTAINED  A  LARGE  FAMILY 

COMFORTABLY, 

AND  BROUGHT  UP  THIRTEEN  CHILDREN 
AND  SEVEN  GRANDCHILDREN 

REPUTABLY. 

FROM  THIS  INSTANCE,  READER, 

BE  ENCOURAGED  TO  DILIGENCE  IN  THY  CALLING, 
AND  DISTRUST  NOT  PROVIDENCE. 


io        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

HE  WAS  A  PIOUS  AND  PRUDENT  MAN  ; 
SHE,  A  DISCREET  AND  VIRTUOUS  WOMAN. 

THEIR  YOUNGEST  SON, 
IN  FILIAL  REGARD  TO  THEIR  MEMORY, 

PLACES  THIS  STONE. 

J.  F.  BORN  1655,  DIED  1744,  JETAT  89. 
A.  F.  BORN  l66y,  DIED  1752, 85. 

By  my  rambling  digressions  I  perceive  myself  to  be  grown 
old.  I  us'd  to  write  more  methodically.  But  one  does  not  dress 
for  private  company  as  for  a  publick  ball.  'T  is  perhaps  only 
negligence. 

To  return  :  I  continued  thus  employed  in  my  fathers  busi 
ness  for  two  years,  that  is,  till  I  was  twelve  years  old  :  and  my 
brother  John,  who  was  bred  to  that  business,  having  left  my 
father,  married,  and  set  up  for  himself  at  Rhode  Island,  there 
was  all  appearance  that  I  was  destined  to  supply  his  place,  and 
become  a  tallow-chandler.  But  my  dislike  to  the  trade  contin 
uing,  my  father  was  under  apprehensions  that  if  he  did  not  find 
one  for  me  more  agreeable,  I  should  break  away  and  get  to  sea, 
as  his  son  Josiah  had  done,  to  his  great  vexation.  He  therefore 
sometimes  took  me  to  walk  with  him,  and  see  joiners,  brick 
layers,  turners,  braziers,  etc.,  at  their  work,  that  he  might  ob 
serve  my  inclination,  and  endeavor  to  fix  it  on  some  trade  or 
other  on  land.  It  has  ever  since  been  a  pleasure  to  me  to  see 
good  workmen  handle  their  tools ;  and  it  has  been  useful  to  me, 
having  learnt  so  much  by  it  as  to  be  able  to  do  little  jobs  myself 
in  my  house  when  a  workman  could  not  readily  be  got,  and  to 
construct  little  machines  for  my  experiments,  while  the  inten 
tion  of  making  the  experiment  was  fresh  and  warm  in  my 
mind.  My  father  at  last  fixed  upon  the  cutler's  trade,  and  my 
uncle  Benjamin's  son  Samuel,  who  was  bred  to  that  business  in 
London,  being  about  that  time  established  in  Boston,  I  was  sent 
to  be  with  him  some  time  on  liking.  But  his  expectations  of 
a  fee  with  me  displeasing  my  father,  I  was  taken  home  again. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  n 

From  a  child  I  was  fond  of  reading,  and  all  the  little  money 
that  came  into  my  hands  was  ever  laid  out  in  books.  Pleased 
with  the  Pilgrim's  Progress,  my  first  collection  was  of  John 
Bunyan's  works  in  separate  little  volumes.  I  afterward  sold 
them  to  enable  me  to  buy  R.  Burton's  Historical  Collections ; 
they  were  small  chapmen's  books,  and  cheap,  40  or  50  in  all. 
My  father's  little  library  consisted  chiefly  of  books  in  polemic 
divinity,  most  of  which  I  read,  and  have  since  often  regretted 
that,  at  a  time  when  I  had  such  a  thirst  for  knowledge,  more 
proper  books  had  not  fallen  in  my  way,  since  it  was  now  re 
solved  I  should  not  be  a  clergyman.  Plutarch's  Lives  there  was 
in  which  I  read  abundantly,  and  I  still  think  that  time  spent  to 
great  advantage.  There  was  also  a  book  of  De  Foe's,  called  an 
Essay  on  Projects,  and  another  of  Dr.  Mather's,  called  Essays 
to  do  Good,  which  perhaps  gave  me  a  turn  of  thinking  that 
had  an  influence  on  some  of  the  principal  future  events  of  my 
life. 

This  bookish  inclination  at  length  determined  my  father  to 
make  me  a  printer,  though  he  had  already  one  son  (James)  of 
that  profession.  In  1717  my  brother  James  returned  from 
England  with  a  press  and  letters  to  set  up  his  business  in  Boston. 
I  liked  it  much  better  than  that  of  my  father,  but  still  had  a  hank 
ering  for  the  sea.  To  prevent  the  apprehended  effect  of  such 
an  inclination,  my  father  was  impatient  to  have  me  bound  to 
my  brother.  I  stood  out  some  time,  but  at  last  was  persuaded, 
and  signed  the  indentures  when  I  was  yet  but  twelve  years  old. 
I  was  to  serve  as  an  apprentice  till  I  was  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
only  I  was  to  be  allowed  journeyman's  wages  during  the  last 
year.  In  a  little  time  I  made  great  proficiency  in  the  business, 
and  became  a  useful  hand  to  my  brother.  I  now  had  access  to 
better  books.  An  acquaintance  with  the  apprentices  of  book 
sellers  enabled  me  sometimes  to  borrow  a  small  one,  which  I 
was  careful  to  return  soon  and  clean.  Often  I  sat  up  in  my  room 
reading  the  greatest  part  of  the  night,  when  the  book  was  bor- 


12        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

rowed  in  the  evening  and  to  be  returned  early  in  the  morning, 
lest  it  should  be  missed  or  wanted. 

And  after  some  time  an  ingenious  tradesman,  Mr.  Matthew 
Adams,  who  had  a  pretty  collection  of  books,  and  who  fre 
quented  our  printing-house,  took  notice  of  me,  invited  me  to 
his  library,  and  very  kindly  lent  me  such  books  as  I  chose  to 
read.  I  now  took  a  fancy  to  poetry,  and  made  some  little  pieces ; 
my  brother,  thinking  it  might  turn  to  account,  encouraged  me, 
and  put  me  on  composing  occasional  ballads.  One  was  called 
The  Lighthouse  Tragedy,  and  contained  an  account  of  the  drown 
ing  of  Captain  Worthilake,  with  his  two  daughters  :  the  other 
was  a  sailor's  song,  on  the  taking  of  Teach  (or  Blackbeard)  the 
pirate.  They  were  wretched  stuff,  in  the  Grub-street  ballad 
style ;  and  when  they  were  printed  he  sent  me  about  the  town 
tosell  them.  The  first  sold  wonderfully,  the  event  being  recent, 
having  made  a  great  noise.  This  flattered  my  vanity  ;  but  my 
father  discouraged  me  by  ridiculing  my  performances,  and  tell 
ing  me  verse-makers  were  generally  beggars.  So  I  escaped  be 
ing  a  poet,  most  probably  a  very  bad  one ;  but  as  prose  writing 
has  been  of  great  use  to  me  in  the  course  of  my  life,  and  was 
a  principal  means  of  my  advancement,  I  shall  tell  you  how,  in 
such  a  situation,  I  acquired  what  little  ability  I  have  in  that 
way. 

There  was  another  bookish  lad  in  the  town,  John  Collins  by 
name,  with  whom  I  was  intimately  acquainted.  We  sometimes 
disputed,  and  very  fond  we  were  of  argument,  and  very  desirous 
of  confuting  one  another,  which  disputatious  turn,  by  the  way, 
is  apt  to  become  a  very  bad  habit,  making  people  often  ex 
tremely  disagreeable  in  company  by  the  contradiction  that  is 
necessary  to  bring  it  into  practice ;  and  thence,  besides  souring 
and  spoiling  the  conversation,  is  productive  of  disgusts  and,  per 
haps  enmities  where  you  have  occasion  for  friendship.  I  had 
caught  it  by  reading  my  father's  books  of  dispute  about  re 
ligion.  Persons  of  good  sense,  I  have  since  observed,  seldom 


13 

fall  into  it,  except  lawyers,  university  men,  and  men  of  all  sorts 
that  have  been  bred  at  Edinborough. 

A  question  was  once,  somehow  or  other,  started  between 
Collins  and  me,  of  the  propriety  of  educating  the  female  sex  in 
learning,  and  their  abilities  for  study.  He  was  of  opinion  that 
it  was  improper,  and  that  they  were  naturally  unequal  to  it.  I 
took  the  contrary  side,  perhaps  a  little  for  dispute's  sake.  He 
was  naturally  more  eloquent,  had  a  ready  plenty  of  words ;  and 
sometimes,  as  I  thought,  bore  me  down  more  by  his  fluency  than 
by  the  strength  of  his  reasons.  As  we  parted  without  settling  the 
point,  and  were  not  to  see  one  another  again  for  some  time,  I  sat 
down  to  put  my  arguments  in  writing,  which  I  copied  fair  and 
sent  to  him.  He  answered,  and  I  replied.  Three  or  four  letters 
of  a  side  had  passed,  when  my  father  happened  to  find  my  papers 
and  read  them.  Without  entering  into  the  discussion,  he  took 
occasion  to  talk  to  me  about  the  manner  of  my  writing ;  ob 
served  that,  though  I  had  the  advantage  of  my  antagonist  in 
correct  spelling  and  pointing  (which  I  ow'd  to  the  printing- 
house),  I  fell  far  short  in  elegance  of  expression,  in  method  and 
in  perspicuity,  of  which  he  convinced  me  by  several  instances. 
I  saw  the  justice  of  his  remarks,  and  thence  grew  more  attentive 
to  the  manner  in  writing,  and  determined  to  endeavor  at  im 
provement. 

About  this  time  I  met  with  an  odd  volume  of  the  Spectator. 
It  was  the  third.  I  had  never  before  seen  any  of  them.  I  bought 
it,  read  it  over  and  over,  and  was  much  delighted  with  it.  I 
thought  the  writing  excellent,  and  wished,  if  possible,  to  im 
itate  it.  With  this  view  I  took  some  of  the  papers,  and,  making 
short  hints  of  the  sentiment  in  each  sentence,  laid  them  by  a 
few  days,  and  then,  without  looking  at  the  book,  try'd  to  com- 
pleat  the  papers  again,  by  expressing  each  hinted  sentiment  at 
length,  and  as  fully  as  it  had  been  expressed  before,  in  any  suit 
able  words  that  should  come  to  hand.  Then  I  compared  my 
Spectator  with  the  original,  discovered  some  of  my  faults,  and 


14         THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

corrected  them.  But  I  found  I  wanted  a  stock  of  words,  or  a 
readiness  in  recollecting  and  using  them,  which  I  thought  I 
should  have  acquired  before  that  time  if  I  had  gone  on  making 
verses;  since  the  continual  occasion  for  words  of  the  same  im 
port,  but  of  different  length,  to  suit  the  measure,  or  of  different 
sound  for  the  rhyme,  would  have  laid  me  under  a  constant 
necessity  of  searching  for  variety,  and  also  have  tended  to  fix 
that  variety  in  my  mind,  and  make  me  master  of  it.  Therefore 
I  took  some  of  the  tales  and  turned  them  into  verse;  and,  after 
a  time,  when  I  had  pretty  well  forgotten  the  prose,  turned  them 
back  again.  I  also  sometimes  jumbled  my  collections  of  hints 
into  confusion,and  after  some  weeks  endeavored  to  reduce  them 
into  the  best  order,  before  I  began  to  form  the  full  sentences 
and  compleat  the  paper.  This  was  to  teach  me  method  in  the 
arrangement  of  thoughts.  By  comparing  my  work  afterwards 
with  the  original,  I  discovered  many  faults  and  amended  them ; 
but  I  sometimes  had  the  pleasure  of  fancying  that,  in  certain 
particulars  of  small  import,  I  had  been  lucky  enough  to  improve 
the  method  or  the  language,  and  this  encouraged  me  to  think 
I  might  possibly  in  time  come  to  be  a  tolerable  English  writer, 
of  which  I  was  extreamly  ambitious.  My  time  for  these  exer 
cises  and  for  reading  was  at  night,  after  work  or  before  it  began 
in  the  morning,  or  on  Sundays,  when  I  contrived  to  be  in  the 
printing-house  alone,  evading  as  much  as  I  could  the  common 
attendance  on  public  worship  which  my  father  used  to  exact  of 
me  when  I  was  under  his  care,  and  which  indeed  I  still  thought 
a  duty,  though  I  could  not,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  afford  time  to 
practise  it. 

When  about  1 6  years  of  age  I  happened  to  meet  with  a  book, 
written  by  one  Try  on,  recommending  a  vegetable  diet.  I  deter 
mined  to  go  into  it.  My  brother,  being  yet  unmarried,  did  not 
keep  house,  but  boarded  himself  and  his  apprentices  in  another 
family.  My  refusing  to  eat  flesh  occasioned  an  inconveniency, 
and  I  was  frequently  chid  for  my  singularity.  I  made  myself 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  15 

acquainted  with  Try  on's  manner  of  preparing  some  of  his  dishes, 
such  as  boiling  potatoes  or  rice,  making  hasty  pudding,  and  a 
few  others,  and  then  proposed  to  my  brother,  that  if  he  would 
give  me,  weekly,  half  the  money  he  paid  for  my  board,  I  would 
board  myself.  He  instantly  agreed  to  it,  and  I  presently  found 
that  I  could  save  half  what  he  paid  me.  This  was  an  additional 
fund  for  buying  books.  But  I  had  another  advantage  in  it.  My 
brother  and  the  rest  going  from  the  printing-house  to  their 
meals,  I  remained  there  alone,  and,  despatching  presently  my 
light  repast,  which  often  was  no  more  than  a  bisket  or  a  slice 
of  bread,  a  handful  of  raisins  or  a  tart  from  the  pastry-cook's, 
and  a  glass  of  water,  had  the  rest  of  the  time  till  their  return  for 
study,  in  which  I  made  the  greater  progress,  from  that  greater 
clearness  of  head  and  quicker  apprehension  which  usually  attend 
temperance  in  eating  and  drinking. 

And  now  it  was  that,  being  on  some  occasion  made  asham'd 
of  my  ignorance  in  figures,  which  I  had  twice  failed  in  learn 
ing  when  at  school,  I  took  Cocker's  book  of  Arithmetick,  and 
went  through  the  whole  by  myself  with  great  ease.  I  also  read 
Seller's  and  Shermy's  books  of  Navigation,  and  became  ac 
quainted  with  the  little  geometry  they  contain;  but  never  pro 
ceeded  far  in  that  science.  And  I  read  about  this  time  Locke 
on  Human  Understanding,  and  the  Art  of  Thinking,  by  Messrs  du 
Port  Royal. 

While  I  was  intent  on  improving  my  language,  I  met  with 
an  English  grammar  (I  think  it  was  Greenwood's),  at  the 
end  of  which  there  were  two  little  sketches  of  the  arts  of  rhet 
oric  and  logic,  the  latter  finishing  with  a  specimen  of  a  dispute 
in  the  Socratic  method;  and  soon  after  I  procur'd  Xenophon's 
Memorable  Things  of  Socrates,  wherein  there  are  many  in 
stances  of  the  same  method.  I  was  charm'd  with  it,  adopted 
it,  dropt  my  abrupt  contradiction  and  positive  argumentation, 
and  put  on  the  humble  inquirer  and  doubter.  And  being  then, 
from  reading  Shaftesbury  and  Collins,  become  a  real  doubter 


1 6        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

in  many  points  of  our  religious  doctrine,  I  found  this  method 
safest  for  myself  and  very  embarassing  to  those  against  whom 
I  used  it ;  therefore  I  took  a  delight  in  it,  practis'd  it  contin 
ually,  and  grew  very  artful  and  expert  in  drawing  people,  even 
of  superior  knowledge,  into  concessions,  the  consequences  of 
which  they  did  not  foresee,  entangling  them  in  difficulties  out 
of  which  they  could  not  extricate  themselves,  and  so  obtain 
ing  victories  that  neither  myself  nor  my  cause  always  deserved. 
I  continued  this  method  some  few  years,  but  gradually  left  it, 
retaining  only  the  habit  of  expressing  myself  in  terms  of  mod 
est  diffidence ;  never  using,  when  I  advanced  anything  that 
may  possibly  be  disputed,  the  words  certainly,  undoubtedly ',  or 
any  others  that  give  the  air  of  positiveness  to  an  opinion  ;  but 
rather  say,  I  conceive  or  apprehend  a  thing  to  be  so  and  so ; 
it  appears  to  me,  or  I  should  think  it  so  or  so,  for  such  and  such 
reasons ;  or  /  imagine  it  to  be  so  ;  or  it  is  so,  if  I  am  not  mistaken. 
This  habit,  I  believe,  has  been  of  great  advantage  to  me  when 
I  have  had  occasion  to  inculcate  my  opinions,  and  persuade 
men  into  measures  that  I  have  been  from  time  to  time  engag'd 
in  promoting;  and,  as  the  chief  ends  of  conversation  are  to 
inform  or  to  be  informed,  to  please  or  to  persuade,  I  wish  well- 
meaning,  sensible  men  would  not  lessen  their  power  of  do 
ing  good  by  a  positive,  assuming  manner,  that  seldom  fails  to 
disgust,  tends  to  create  opposition,  and  to  defeat  every  one  of 
those  purposes  for  which  speech  was  given  to  us,  to  wit,  giving 
or  receiving  information  or  pleasure.  For,  if  you  would  inform, 
a  positive  and  dogmatical  manner  in  advancing  your  sentiments 
may  provoke  contradiction  and  prevent  a  candid  attention.  If 
you  wish  information  and  improvement  from  the  knowledge 
of  others,  and  yet  at  the  same  time  express  yourself  as  firmly 
fix'd  in  your  present  opinions,  modest,  sensible  men,  who  do 
not  love  disputation,  will  probably  leave  you  undisturbed  in 
the  possession  of  your  error.  And  by  such  a  manner,  you  can 
seldom  hope  to  recommend  yourself  in  pleasing  your  hearers, 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  17 

or  to  persuade  those  whose  concurrence  you  desire.  Pope  says, 
judiciously : 

"  Men  should  be  taught  as  if  you  taught  them  not, 
And  things  unknown  proposed  as  things  forgot ;  " 

farther  recommending  to  us 

"  To  speak,  tho'  sure,  with  seeming  diffidence." 

And  he  might  have  coupled  with  this  line  that  which  he  has 
coupled  with  another,  I  think,  less  properly, 

"  For  want  of  modesty  is  want  of  sense." 

If  you  ask,  Why  less  properly  ?  I  must  repeat  the  lines, 

"  Immodest  words  admit  of  no  defense, 
For  want  of  modesty  is  want  of  sense." 

Now,  is  not  want  of  sense  (where  a  man  is  so  unfortunate  as  to 
want  it)  some  apology  for  his  want  of  modesty?  and  would  not 
the  lines  stand  more  justly  thus  ? 

"  Immodest  words  admit  but  this  defense, 
That  want  of  modesty  is  want  of  sense." 

This,  however,  I  should  submit  to  better  judgments. 

My  brother  had,  in  1720  or  1721,  begun  to  print  a  news 
paper.  It  was  the  second  that  appeared  in  America,  and  was 
called  the  New  England  Courant.  The  only  one  before  it  was 
the  Boston  News-Letter .  I  remember  his  being  dissuaded  by 
some  of  his  friends  from  the  undertaking,  as  not  likely  to  suc 
ceed,  one  newspaper  being,  in  their  judgment,  enough  for 
America.  At  this  time  ( 1 77 1 )  there  are  not  less  than  five-and- 
twenty.  He  went  on,  however,  with  the  undertaking,  and  after 
having  worked  in  composing  the  types  and  printing  off  the 
sheets,  I  was  employed  to  carry  the  papers  thro'  the  streets  to 
the  customers. 

He  had  some  ingenious  men  among  his  friends,  who  amus'd 
themselves  by  writing  little  pieces  for  this  paper,  which  gain'd 
it  credit  and  made  it  more  in  demand,  and  these  gentlemen  often 


1 8        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

visited  us.  Hearing  their  conversations,  and  their  accounts  of 
the  approbation  their  papers  were  received  with,  I  was  excited 
to  try  my  hand  among  them;  but, being  still  a  boy, and  suspect 
ing  that  my  brother  would  object  to  printing  anything  of  mine 
in  his  paper  if  he  knew  it  to  be  mine,  I  contrived  to  disguise  my 
hand,  and,  writing  an  anonymous  paper,  I  put  it  in  at  night  under 
the  door  of  the  printing-house.  It  was  found  in  the  morning, 
and  communicated  to  his  writing  friends  when  they  call'd  in  as 
usual.  They  read  it,  commented  on  it  in  my  hearing,  and  I  had 
the  exquisite  pleasure  of  finding  it  met  with  their  approbation, 
and  that,  in  their  different  guesses  at  the  author,  none  were 
named  but  men  of  some  character  among  us  for  learning  and 
ingenuity.  I  suppose  now  that  I  was  rather  lucky  in  my  judges, 
and  that  perhaps  they  were  not  really  so  very  good  ones  as  I  then 
esteem' d  them. 

Encourag'd,  however,  by  this,  I  wrote  and  convey 'd  in  the 
same  way  to  the  press  several  more  papers  which  were  equally 
appro v'd;  and  I  kept  my  secret  till  my  small  fund  of  sense  for 
such  performances  was  pretty  well  exhausted,  and  then  I  dis 
covered  it,  when  I  began  to  be  considered  a  little  more  by  my 
brother's  acquaintance,  and  in  a  manner  that  did  not  quite  please 
him,  as  he  thought,  probably  with  reason,  that  it  tended  to  make 
me  too  vain.  And,  perhaps,  this  might  be  one  occasion  of  the 
differences  that  we  began  to  have  about  this  time.  Though 
a  brother,  he  considered  himself  as  my  master,  and  me  as  his 
apprentice,  and,  accordingly,  expected  the  same  services  from 
me  as  he  would  from  another,  while  I  thought  he  demean'd 
me  too  much  in  some  he  required  of  me,  who  from  a  brother 
expected  more  indulgence.  Our  disputes  were  often  brought 
before  our  father,  and  I  fancy  I  was  either  generally  in  the  right, 
or  else  a  better  pleader,  because  the  judgment  was  generally  in 
my  favor.  But  my  brother  was  passionate,  and  had  often  beaten 
me,  which  I  took  extreamly  amiss;  and,  thinking  my  appren 
ticeship  very  tedious,  I  was  continually  wishing  for  some  oppor- 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  19 

tunity  of  shortening  it,  which  at  length  offered  in  a  manner 
unexpected.1 

One  of  the  pieces  in  our  newspaper  on  some  political  point, 
which  I  have  now  forgotten,  gave  offense  to  the  Assembly.  He 
was  taken  up,  censur'd,  and  imprison'd  for  a  month,  by  the 
speaker's  warrant,  I  suppose,  because  he  would  not  discover  his 
author.  I  too  was  taken  up  and  examin'd  before  the  council; 
but,  tho'  I  did  not  give  them  any  satisfaction,  they  content' d 
themselves  with  admonishing  me,  and  dismissed  me,  consider 
ing  me,  perhaps,  as  an  apprentice,  who  was  bound  to  keep  his 
master's  secrets. 

During  my  brother's  confinement,  which  I  resented  a  good 
deal,  notwithstanding  our  private  differences,  I  had  the  man 
agement  of  the  paper;  and  I  made  bold  to  give  our  rulers  some 
rubs  in  it,  which  my  brother  took  very  kindly,  while  others 
began  to  consider  me  in  an  unfavorable  light,  as  a  young  genius 
that  had  a  turn  for  libelling  and  satyr.  My  brother's  discharge 
was  accompany'd  with  an  order  of  the  House  (a  very  odd  one), 
that  "James  Franklin  should  no  longer  print  the  paper  called  the 
New  England  C  our  ant" 

There  was  a  consultation  held  in  our  printing-house  among 
his  friends,  what  he  should  do  in  this  case.  Some  proposed  to 
evade  the  order  by  changing  the  name  of  the  paper;  but  my 
brother,  seeing  inconveniences  in  that,  it  was  finally  concluded 
on  as  a  better  way,  to  let  it  be  printed  for  the  future  under  the 
name  of  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  ;  and  to  avoid  the  censure  of 
the  Assembly,  that  might  fall  on  him  as  still  printing  it  by  his 
apprentice,  the  contrivance  was  that  my  old  indenture  should 
be  return'd  to  me,  with  a  full  discharge  on  the  back  of  it,  to 
be  shown  on  occasion,  but  to  secure  to  him  the  benefit  of  my 
service,  I  was  to  sign  new  indentures  for  the  remainder  of  the 
term,  which  were  to  be  kept  private.  A  very  flimsy  scheme  it 

1  I  fancy  his  harsh  and  tyrannical  treatment  of  me  might  be  a  means  of  impressing  me 
with  that  aversion  to  arbitrary  power  that  has  stuck  to  me  through  my  whole  life. 


20        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

was ;  however,  it  was  immediately  executed,  and  the  paper 
went  on  accordingly,  under  my  name  for  several  months. 

At  length,  a  fresh  difference  arising  between  my  brother  and 
me,  I  took  upon  me  to  assert  my  freedom,  presuming  that  he 
would  not  venture  to  produce  the  new  indentures.  It  was  not 
fair  in  me  to  take  this  advantage,  and  this  I  therefore  reckon 
one  of  the  first  errata  of  my  life;  but  the  unfairness  of  it  weighed 
little  with  me,  when  under  the  impressions  of  resentment  for 
the  blows  his  passion  too  often  urged  him  to  bestow  upon  me, 
though  he  was  otherwise  not  an  ill-natur'd  man :  perhaps  I  was 
too  saucy  and  provoking. 

When  he  found  I  would  leave  him,  he  took  care  to  prevent 
my  getting  employment  in  any  other  printing-house  of  the 
town,  by  going  round  and  speaking  to  every  master,  who  ac 
cordingly  refus'd  to  give  me  work.  I  then  thought  of  going 
to  New  York,  as  the  nearest  place  where  there  was  a  printer ; 
and  I  was  rather  inclin'd  to  leave  Boston  when  I  reflected  that 
I  had  already  made  myself  a  little  obnoxious  to  the  governing 
party,  and,  from  the  arbitrary  proceedings  of  the  Assembly  in 
my  brother's  case,  it  was  likely  I  might,  if  I  stay'd,  soon  bring 
myself  into  scrapes ;  and  farther,  that  my  indiscrete  disputations 
about  religion  began  to  make  me  pointed  at  with  horror  by  good 
people  as  an  infidel  or  atheist.  I  determin'd  on  the  point,  but 
my  father  now  siding  with  my  brother,  I  was  sensible  that,  if 
I  attempted  to  go  openly,  means  would  be  used  to  prevent  me. 
My  friend  Collins,  therefore,  undertook  to  manage  a  little  for 
me.  He  agreed  with  the  captain  of  a  New  York  sloop  for  my 
passage,  under  the  notion  of  my  being  a  young  acquaintance  of 
his,  that  had  got  a  naughty  girl  with  child,  whose  friends  would 
compel  me  to  marry  her,  and  therefore  I  could  not  appear  or 
come  away  publicly.  So  I  sold  some  of  my  books  to  raise  a  little 
money,  was  taken  on  board  privately,  and  as  we  had  a  fair  wind, 
in  three  days  I  found  myself  in  New  York,  near  300  miles  from 
home,  a  boy  of  but  1 7,  without  the  least  recommendation  to, 


THE 


New-England  Courant. 

•  *•"'  i 

— j —  - .  -.  -  •  • — i iy — < — . 

P 

From  MONDAY  February  4.  to  M  6  s  D  A  Y  February  n.     i  7  2  ». 


The  late  Publifhtr  of  this  Paper,  finding  fo  (Barry 
InqOnvenieacies  would  arjfe  by  his  carrying  the 

'  .jUanul'cripu  and  public*  News  to  b<  fupervisd 
by  the  Secretary,  as  to  render  his  carrying  it  orr 
tifiptofiiable,  has  intirely  dropt  the  Undertaking. 
The  prefent  Publlfher  having  receiv'd  the  follow 
ing  Piece,  defires  the  Readers  to  accept  of  it  as  a 
Preface  to  what  ttey  may  hereafter  meet  with 
in  this  Paper. 

iVon  ega  moriilci  diftiinxi  Carmine  qitt»4ua*t, 
Hull*  vmnato  Lneti  or.ijta  Joco  ejt. 


O  N  Q  has  the  Prefs 
groaned  in  bringing 
toith  ail  hateful,  but 
numerous  Brood  ofPai- 
ty  Pamphlets,  malici 
ous  Scribbles,  and  Bil- 
liugfgate  Ribaldry.  The 
Rancour  and  bitternefs 
it  has  unhappily  infu- 
fed  into  Mens  minds, 
and  to  whit  a  Degree 
it  has  fowled  and  lea- 
ven'd  the  Tempers  of 
Perform  formerly  eftceined  forne  of  the  raoit  fweet 
and  affable,  is  too  well  known  here,  to  need  any 
further  Proof  or  Reprefentation  of  the  Matter. 

i\o  generous  and  impartial  Perfon  then  can  blame 
the  pretent  Undertaking,  which  is  defigned  purely 
for  the  Diversion  and  Merriment  of  the  Reader. 
Pieces  of  plealancy  and  Mirth  have  a  fecret  Charm 
in  them  to  allay  the  Heats  and  Tumors  of  our 
Spirits,  and  to  make  a  Man  forget  hisHreftlefs  Rc- 
lennnents.  They  have  .1  ftrange  Power  to  tune  the 
•  harfh  Disorders  of  the  Soul,  and  reduce  us  to  a  fe- 
lene  and  placid  State  of  Mir-d. 

The  main  Defign  of  this  Weekly  Paper  will  be 
to  entertain  the  Town  with  the  moil  comical  and 
diverting  Incidents  of  Humane  Life,  which  in  Ib 
large  a  Place  as  BoSr.n,  will  not  fail  of  a  univeilal 
Exemplification  :  Nor  fhall  we  be  wanting  to  611  up 
thefe  Papers  with  a  grateful  Interlperfion  of  more 
ferious  Morals,  which  may  be  drawn  from  the  moft 
Judicrousand  odd  Parts  of  Life. 

A-  for  the  Author,  that  is  the  next  Queftion. 
But  tho'  we  profeTs  our  felves  ready  to  oblige  the 
Ingenious  and  courteous  Reader  with  molt  Sons 
Of  Inte  lligence,  yet  here  we  beg  a  Referve.  Nor  will 
it  be  of  any  Manner  of  Advantage  either  to  them  or 
to  the  Writers,  that  their  Names  Ihould  be  ptrb- 
lifhed  ;  and  therefore  in  this  Matter  we  defire  the 
Favour  of  you  to  fuft'er  us  to  hold  our  Tongues: 
1Vhi..h  tho*  at  this  Time  of  Day  it  may  found  like 
a  very  uncommon  Requeft,  yet  it  proceeds  from 
the  very  Hearts  of  your  Humble  Servants. 

By  this  Time  .  the  Reader  perceives  that  more 
than  one  are  engaged  i  i  the  psel'ent  Undertaking. 
Yet  is  tl'.ere  one  Perfon,  an  Inhabitant  of  this  Town 
of  Boftm:,  whom  ve  honour  as  a  Dodor  in  the 
Chair,  or  a  perpetual  Dictator. 

Hie  Society  had  defignM  to  prefent  the  Publiek 
with  hi.,  Effigies,  but  that  the  Limner,  to  whom 
he  was  prefciited  for  a  Draught  of  hi  i  Countenance, 
dci,,-ijed(and  thishe  is  ready  to  offer  upon  Oath) 
Nineteen  Featuies  in  hi;  Face,  more  than  ever  he 
beheld  jn  any  Humane  Vil'age  befoie;  which  fo 
jailed  ihe  Price  of  his  Picture,  that  our  Mafter 
hunfelf  forbid  the  Extravagance  of  coming  up  to  it. 
And  then  brfJes,  the  Limner  oujscVed  a  Schjl'm  i:r 
'  urn  iii?  FwebsaJ  ifl  » 


1... 


ftiait  Line  dowa  to  his  Chin,  in  fuch  fort,  thai 
Mr.  Painter  protefts  it  is  a  double  Face,  and  h*'U 
hive  F»,,t  Pfjudi  for  the  Pourtrajturt.  Howe»ef, 
tho'  this  double  Face  has  fpoilt  us  of  a  pretty 
Picture,  yet  we  all  rejoiced  to  fee  «ld  Jtntti  in  our 
Company. 

Tbere'is  no  Man  in  JSoSoa  better  qua'i&ed  than 
Old  Janut  for  a  Cturanttcr,  or  if  you  pleafe,  an  Oi* 
fervalor,  being  a  Man  of  fuch  remarkable  Ofticki, 
as  to  look  two  ways  at  ouce. 

As  for  his  Morals,  he  is  a  chearly  Chiftiaii,  as 
the  Country  PhraCe  expreffes  it.  A  Man  of  goo,' 
Temper,  courteous  Deportment,  found  Judgment  , 
a  mortal  Hater  of  Nonfenft,  Foppery,  Fonnalir  . 
and  endlefs  Ceremony. 

As  for  his  Club,  they  aim  at  no  greater  Happi- 
nefs  or  Honour,  thai,  the  Publiek  be  made  to  know, 
that  it  is  the  utinoft  of  their  Ambition  to  attend  up 
on1  and  do  all  imaginable  good  Office?  to  good  Old 
JIHUI  ih<  Couranteer,  who  is  and  always  will  tit 
the  Readers  humble  Servait. 

P.  S.  Gentle  Readers,  we  ddign  never  to  la  i  Paper  pafi 
without  a  Latin  Motto  if  we  can  poffoly  pick  one  up,  whi«  i 
Carrie^  a  Charm  In  it  to  the  Vuljsr,  and  die  learned  ad 
mire  thepIeifureofConftruing.  Sf  mould  have  Obliged 
the  World  with  a  Cr«k  ftrap  «r  two,  tin  the  Primer  has 
no  Types,  and  therefor:  we  incrat  the  candid  Reader  not  to 
impute  the  deleft  to  our  Ignorance,  fat  out  Oufioi  can  f*y 
all  the  Grtct  Letters  by  heart.-' 

Hit  Mnjt&fi  Spttch  tomtit  Ptrlument,  Oclobtr 
II.  t/jo'  alre.iJf  ful-iijti'j,  wJJ  fcttixfi  be  tie*  to  miiy 
of  our  Country  Re:dn  i  ;  vc/».;ll  tbcrifort  infert  it  in 
tbn  D.I/I  fjfcr. 

His  MAJESTY'S  moft  Gracious  SPEECH 
to  both  Houfcs  of  Parliament,  ori 
Thurfday  OSober  n.  1722; 

My   Lorn:  and  G^nllemetL. 

I    Am  fony  to  6nd  my  felf  obliged,  at  the  Open 
ing   of  this  Pariuaient,  to  acquaint   you,  Thar 
a  dangerous  Cor.fpii.uy   has  been  for  foine  timu  foi 
med,  jnd  is  ftiii  carrying  on  agaiaft  my  Perfon  aihi 
Government,  in  Favour  of  a  PopiHi  Pietender. 

The  Difcovenes  I  have  made  here,' the  Inforrflati- 
6ns  I  have  received  from  my  Ministers  abroad,  Ind 
the  Intelligences  I  h.ive  had  from  the*Powers  iii  Al 
liance  with  me,  and  i  i  !ecd  from  moft  parts  of  Eu 
rope,  have  given  me  nult  aoiple  and  current  Proof* 
of  this  wicked  Defign. 

The  Conlpirators  have,  by  th?;.-  EmiiTaries,  maJj 
the  ttrongeft  Inftanccs  for  Afliftance  from  Foreiga 
Powers,  but  weredifTappointed  in  their  Expeftations : 
However,  confiding  in  their  Numbers,  and  not  dif- 
couriged  by  their  former  ill  Succel's,  they  refolved 
once^nore,  upon  their  own  ftrengih,  to  attempt:  tRa 
fubverfion  of  my  Government. 

Tothis£nd  they  provided  conftdera'ble  Sums  of 
Money,  eugaged  great  Numbers  of  Officers  ffom  »- 
broad,  fccured  large  Quantities  of  Arms  and  Auiuw- 
nition,  and  thought  thcmlelves  in  fuch  R^adinefj,- 
that  had  not  the  Confpitacy  been  timely  djfco^ercdj 
we  ftiould,  without  doubt,'  before  now  have  Cce'n  tjie 
whole  Nation,  and  particularly  the  City  of  London, 
involved  in  B!oo<!  a:id  Confufion. 

The  Care  I  have  taken  has,  ty  the  BleaJng  of  Qodf 
hitherto  prevented  the  Execution  of  their  ti~. 
Projects.  The  Troo[;s  l.ave  been  incainped  ali  ifli* 
Sumonet;  fix  Regwr.;  its  (  though  i,ery  ntsfe2'ai)  fyt 
f  he  Security  of  that  Kingdom  )  hjv'a  beini  brOugTIC 
ovcrfiom  Inland;  '1  ha  States  <»e(>ef»rh»ve  »weo 
nieali'uia.icri  liiUt  tire-  v?oald  t^etV  'A  cuajkJtiabU 
liojy  oi  i'«c't»HU  itjt^f.it'.\  to  SUK.U'' 


THE    NEW    ENGLAND    COURANT,    FEBRUARY    II,    1723 
Tliejirxt  issHr  inih/islii'il  In/  Jicnjn inhi  Frimkliii 


\   I 


•tlce'o/tkeii  being  wanted  here  ;  which  was  all  t  de- 
fiiedorihem,  being  determined  not  to  put  my  Peo 
ple  to,a.\>  more  Expences  than  what  was  absolutely 
necefuryior  their  Peace  a.:d  Security.  Some  of  the 
Confplratois  |,a«e  been  taken  up  and  fecured  :  tV 
dtavonrs  are  ul'eti  idr  apprehending  others. 
Mj  Loidt  nud  Gcuilcmm, 

Having  thus  in  geneiallaid  before  you  theState 
of  the  piefent  Confpiracy,  I  mutt  leave  to  your  Con- 
Ji.'.era!io. i,  what  is  proper  and  nccefl'ary  to  be  done 
for  the  Ouiet  a.id  Safety  of  the  Kingdom,  i  cannot 
but  believe,  that  the  Hopes  and  Expectations  of  our 
Enemies  arc  very  ill  grounded,  in  flattering  iheni- 
lelvestiiat  the  lite  Dilcomei.ts,  ( occalioned  by  pri 
vate  Lolles  a.,d  mi, fortunes  )  however  induftriuuily 
and  inalicmuily  fomented,  are  turned  into  a  Ditaf- 
fection  and  Spiui  of  Rebellion. 

Had  I,  ti  ice  In)'  Acceflion  to  the  Throne,  ever  at- 
temptedany  Invation  in  our  Eltablffted  Religion; 
had  I,  in  any  one  Inftjnce,  invaded  the  Liberty  ard 
Property  of  my  Subjects,  I  Ifiould  lei's  wonder  at  any 
Endeavours  to  alienate  the  Affections  of  my  People, 
and  draw  them  i.uuMeafiirts  that  can  end  in  nothing 
but  their  own  Dtftiudion  ,  But  to  hope  to  perfwade 
a  free  People,  in  full  enjoyment  of  all  that's  dear  ami 
valuable  to  them,  to  exchange  Freedom  for  Slavery, 
the  Proieltant  Religion  for  Popery,  and  to  Sacrifice 
at  o;ice  ti;e  Price  of  fo  much  Blood  and  Treafure  as 
fcay«  l-ee<i  fpeut  in  out  prel'ent  Eftabhmme.it,  feems 
«n  Infatuation  which  cannot  be  accounted  for.  But 
however  vain  and  unluccefsful  thefe  defpcrate  Pro 
jects  may  prove  in  -h«  End,  they  have  at  pietent  fo 
far  rhe  defired  J-rfeft,  as  to  create  Uneafinel's  a.id  Dif 
fidence  in  the  Minds  of  my  People;  which  our  Ene 
mies  improve  to  iheirown  Advantage,  by  framing 
Plots:  They  depreciate  all  Property  that  is  veiled  in 
the  Publick  Funds,  and  then  complain  of  the  low 
State  of  Credit ;  They  make  an  Encreafe  of  the  Na 
tional  Expences  necclTary,  and  then  clamour  at  the 
Burthen  of  Taxes,  and  endeavour  to  impute  to  my 
Government  all  th«  Grievances,  the  Mifchiefs  anil 
Calamities,  which  they^ajone  cteate  and  occafion. 

I  wifh  for  nothing  more  than  to  fee  the  Publick 
Expences  leffened,  and  the  great  National  Debt  put 
'  into  a  Method  of  being  gradually  reduced  ard  dif- 
charged,  with  a  ftrjrt  Regard  to  Parliamentary  Faith  : 
And  a  more  favourable  Opportunity  could  never 
have  been  hoped  for  than  theSiaie  of  profound  Peace 
which  we  DOW  enjoy  with  all  our  Neighbours.  But 
Public*  Credit  will  always  languifli  unter  Daily  A- 
l*fins  and  Appi  ehenlions  of  Publick  Danger ;  and,  as 
the  Enemies  of  our  Peace  have  been  able  to  bring 
this  immediate  Mifchief  upon  us,  nothing  can  pre 
vent  them  from  continuing  to  fubject  the  Nation  to 
new  and  conftant  Difficulties  and  Diftreffes,  but  the 
Wifdom,  Zeal  and  vigorous  Refolutioa  of  this  Par 
liament. 

Gentlemen  of  the  Hmfc.  of  Coiimont,  '     , 

I  have  ordered  the  Account  to  be  made  up  and 
laid  before  you,  of  the  extraordinary  Charge  that  has 
'been  incurred  This  Summer,  for  the  Defence  ond  Safe 
ty  of  the  Kingdom;  and  I  have  been  particularly 
careful,  not  to  direct  any  Expence  to  be  made  greater 
or  fooner  than  was  abfolutely  necelTary.  I  have 
likewile  ordered  Eftlmates  to  be  prepaied  and  laid 
before  you,  for  the  Service  of  the  Y'ear  enfuing:  And 
!  hope  the  further  Provilions  which  the  Ttealonable 
Practice  of  our  Enemies  have  made  necelTary  for  our 
•"CV.nmon  Safety,  may  beordcred  with  fuch  Frugality; 
as  very  little  to  exceed  the  Supplies  of  the  laft  Year. 

I  rieert  not  teJl  you  of  what  infinite  Concern  it 
is  to  the  Peace  and  Tranquility  of  the  Kingdom, 
that  tliis  Parliament  (hould,  upon  this  Occafion,  ex 
ert  rhemfelves  with  a  more  than  ordinary  Zeal  ar)d 
Vigour:  An  entire  Unity  among  all  that  fincerely 
w-ilh  well'to  thepreferit  Eitablifnmenr;  is  new  become 
ablblutely  neceffary.  Our  Enemies  have  too  long 
'  takenAdvantages  from  your  Differences  &  Diffentioas: 
Let  it  be  known,  that  theSpi'rit  of  Popery,  which  be- 
tWes  nothing  but  Confufion  to  the  Civil  >r,d  Relr- 
Proteftani  C^trch  and>(Cingdom  ; 


,    ,   .  -  .       ^ 

(  ho*'ever  abandoned  forjls  fe*-ma1y  be,  in  defpite  *f 
all  Cfbligations  Divine  and  Humane  ).  has  not  ft  f™ 
pollels'd  my  People  as  to  make  them  rige  for  iuch  a 
fatal  Change.  Let  thr  World  lee,  thai  th«  general 
dilpelitjod  of  the  Nation  is  ;ao  I«»itiriqri  lOa  Ko- 
reigri  Power  to  invade  us,  not  EacmMMftenc  to  U(). 
meftick  Enemies  to  kindle  a  Civil  War  in  the  Sovveli 
of  the  Kingdom.  Your  own  Intefeft  and  Welfare 
calls  upon  yon  to  defend  yourfelves;  t  Sirtl  vholiy 
rely  upon  the  Divine  Protection,  the  Suppstlof  „  , 
Parliament,  and  the  Atfedionsof  my  People  ;v/hicli 
I  ihall  endeavour  to  pjd'erve,  by  fteadJJy  adhcii,,  to 
tne  Conftitutionin  Church  and  Siate,  by  come:iain2 
to  make  the  Laws  of  iny  Realm,  the  rulad  Mcalurn 
of  all  my  Actions. 

London,  QBok.  18.  The  Humble  Addreffes  of  both 
Houfes  of  Parliament,  and  that  of  the  Convocati 
on  of  Canterbury,  full  of  Loyalty  and  .Duty,  have 
been  prei'tnted  to  liis  Majefty  ;  which  Addielf^s  his 
Majetty  was  pleafed  to  receive  very  gracioujly. 
And  'tis  not  doubted  but  the  fleady  «dhfirenceof  the 
Parliament  and  Clergy,  to  his  Majefty'*  Perfon  and 
Government,  will  put  an  End  to  the  Trayterous  De- 
hgns  of  thol'e  who  are  Enemies  to  both. 

London,  OSoter  jr.  'Tis  faid  that  a  Scheme  or 
Draught  of  a  Confpiiracy  was  found  amongft  Coun- 
fellor  Lear's  Papers,  figned  with  hi?  own  Hand, 
.whereby  the  Tower  was  to  have  been  firlKeiz'd,  ite 
Palace  of  St.  James's  fefon  Fire,  and  cetiain  Defp«- 
radoes  to  be  at  hand,  who,  under  Pretence  of  giving 
Affiftance,  were  to  have  imirder'i!  His  Majeity  ;  and 
that  a  very  great  Nnmbsr  of  diffafferttd  Perfons  werjj 
to  be  alTernbled  in  Lincoln's  InojFSelds,  to  put  the 
Town  immediately  into  the  gieateit  Cu»ftilio:i. 
tojhn,  Pel.  ii. 

Lad  Week  the  Reverend  Mr.  Orui«,>  Miniftet  of 
the  Epifcopal  Church  at  Kriftol,  came  from  thence 
with  a  Petition  from  T-wdvc  erf  Jus  Hearers,  {  wko 
are  jmprilbn'd  for  Refuting  to  pa? fttfus  to  t he  Pref- 
byteriau  Minifter  of  Briftol  )  to  the  Lieut.  Gover- 
nour,  who  with  the  Advice  of.the  Council,  promis'd 
Mr.  Orum  to  ufe  his  Intereft  for  their  Relief  at  the 
next  Meeting  of  the  General  Affcmfcly,  the  .Moo  being 
linpiifon'd  by  Veitue  of  the  Laws  of  .the  Province. 

We  have  Advice  from  the  Eaftward,  thai  200 
Men,  under  the  Command  of  Capt.  Harmim,  are  gone 
to  Norigiwock,  in  qiieft  of  th*  Indians,, aud  170  to 
Penobfcot,  under  Command  of  Col.  Weftbrook.  ^Ti» 
faid  another  Party  are  to  inarch  to  Pejepfcot. 

Yefterday  Morning  about  6  of  Clock,  a  Fire 
broke  out  at  Mr.  Blulh's  Work-hoafe  in  Cornhitl, 
which  burnt  a  conliderable  Part  of  the  Roof  before 
it  was  extinguifh.'d. 

C«3»«  Houfe,  Eojlo*.    Entred  Inwards. 

Daniel  Jackfon  from  New-Hampfhire,  Jonathan 
Chafe  from  Newport,  John  basfciqs  from  North 
Carolina,  Jofhua  Benjamin  for  South  Carolina,  Charles 
Wbitficta  fiom  Maitineco^  Jphn  Bonaei,  Ship  Eatah 
from  London.  ^ 

Cli.iria  Ont,   .None.     . 

Outward  Sound.  Amos,  Breed  &>«.  New  Lon 
don,  William  Fletcher  for  Maryland,  James 
Blin  for  Annapolis  Royal,  John  Trobjiige  for  North 
Carolina,/.  Pompey  for  Antjgua,  Ja^^fjiihorne  fct 
LoaJofU 


!, 


THe  beft  new  PhilaidphU  T»wn*boutted  Flower,  ro'bj 
fold  by  Mr.  WUltam  Clark   in .  Mttchant's  Ron-,  at 
Twenty  Eight  Shillings  per  Hundred,  >     ., 

A    Servant  Boys  Time  for  4-  Year?  to  l«Sil>«fed  of.     h'e  - 
f\  is  about   i«  Tears -of  Age. '»hd  ah"  KEJ  Accompts.. 
Enquire  at  the  Blue  haH1  in 'Unloa  Street:  aJia  know   fur 
ther. 

*J.*  ItnttftrJkf^e<mtiniKt^i'>e*vefal  an  Ac 
ceptance  nitown  and.Ctit>it*,j»Ftontiuirs.a  f,n  gtda-, 
ter  HumHn  of  I  loft  ttrhtqrintfd,<t!,nn  tbtitis  of  tlit 
otlitr  faHici-fafttt;i*^i-"it  ter%  btfidef-motcgaaralli 
rtadlya  i^K.  Kawbtr. af.Mrwers,,vba  dn-trot  tiktit  ; 
i*tt/xfuUifluvrlimkt.'ffOfit'to:gi9elI>:s'pullick  Niticr 
for  llie  Inceurfgcftcnt  of  thcje  wlii  voiild  lnvc  Adver- 
lifeinems  ftfand't*  •Jbcfw&tkfrinisrmhicb  they  nay. 


h.ivc  pitnttil 


.     -J*f,i 
t!asPH/!< 


»«ft  tt 


"  BOSTON;  Printed  arii:/old  bf  : 


t,>  Where 


THE   NEW    ENGLAND    COURANT,    FEBRUARY    II,    1723 
Thejirat  issue  pnblixhcil  by  Renjumin  Vniitkliii 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  2,1 

or  knowledge  of  any  person  in  the  place,  and  with  very  little 
money  in  my  pocket. 

My  inclinations  for  the  sea  were  by  this  time  worne  out,  or 
I  might  now  have  gratify'd  them.  But,  having  a  trade, and  sup 
posing  myself  a  pretty  good  workman,  I  offer'd  my  service  to 
the  printer  in  the  place,  old  Mr.  William  Bradford,  who  had 
been  the  first  printer  in  Pennsylvania,  but  removed  from  thence 
upon  the  quarrel  of  George  Keith.  He  could  give  me  no  em 
ployment,  having  little  to  do,  and  help  enough  already ;  but  says 
he, "  My  son  at  Philadelphia  has  lately  lost  his  principal  hand, 
Aquila  Rose,  by  death ;  if  you  go  thither,  I  believe  he  may  em 
ploy  you."  Philadelphia  was  a  hundred  miles  further;  I  set  out, 
however,  in  a  boat  for  Amboy,  leaving  my  chest  and  things  to 
follow  me  round  by  sea. 

In  crossing  the  bay,  we  met  with  a  squall  that  tore  our  rot 
ten  sails  to  pieces,  prevented  our  getting  into  the  Kill,  and 
drove  us  upon  Long  Island.  In  our  way,  a  drunken  Dutchman, 
who  was  a  passenger  too,  fell  overboard;  when  he  was  sinking, 
I  reached  through  the  water  to  his  shock  pate,  and  drew  him 
up,  so  that  we  got  him  in  again.  His  ducking  sobered  him  a 
little,  and  he  went  to  sleep,  taking  first  out  of  his  pocket  a  book, 
which  he  desir'd  I  would  dry  for  him.  It  proved  to  be  my  old 
favorite  author,  Bunyan's  Pilgrim's  Progress,  in  Dutch,  finely 
printed  on  good  paper,  with  copper  cuts,  a  dress  better  than  I 
had  ever  seen  it  wear  in  its  own  language.  I  have  since  found 
that  it  has  been  translated  into  most  of  the  languages  of  Europe, 
and  suppose  it  has  been  more  generally  read  than  any  other 
book,  except  perhaps  the  Bible.  Honest  John  was  the  first  that 
I  know  of  who  mix'd  narration  and  dialogue ;  a  method  of  writ 
ing  very  engaging  to  the  reader,  who  in  the  most  interesting 
parts  finds  himself,  as  it  were,  brought  into  the  company  and 
present  at  the  discourse.  De  Foe  in  his  Cruso,  his  Moll  Flan 
ders,  Religious  Courtship,  Family  Instructor,  and  other  pieces, 
has  imitated  it  with  success ;  and  Richardson  has  done  the  same 
in  his  Pamela,  etc. 


22,        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

When  we  drew  near  the  island,  we  found  it  was  at  a  place 
where  there  could  be  no  landing,  there  being  a  great  surff  on 
the  stony  beach.  So  we  dropt  anchor,  and  swung  round  towards 
the  shore.  Some  people  came  down  to  the  water  edge  and  hal- 
low'd  to  us,  as  we  did  to  them;  but  the  wind  was  so  high,  and 
the  surff  so  loud,  that  we  could  not  hear  so  as  to  understand  each 
other.  There  were  canoes  on  the  shore,  and  we  made  signs, 
and  hallo w'd  that  they  should  fetch  us;  but  they  either  did  not 
understand  us,  or  thought  it  impracticable,  so  they  went  away, 
and  night  coming  on,  we  had  no  remedy  but  to  wait  till  the 
wind  should  abate;  and,  in  the  mean  time,  the  boatman  and  I 
concluded  to  sleep,  if  we  could ;  and  so  crowded  into  the  scut 
tle,  with  the  Dutchman,  who  was  still  wet,  and  the  spray  beating 
over  the  head  of  our  boat,  leak'd  thro*  to  us,  so  that  we  were 
soon  almost  as  wet  as  he.  In  this  manner  we  lay  all  night,  with 
very  little  rest ;  but,  the  wind  abating  the  next  day,  we  made  a 
shift  to  reach  Amboy  before  night,  having  been  thirty  hours  on 
the  water,  without  victuals,  or  any  drink  but  a  bottle  of  filthy 
rum,  the  water  we  sail'd  on  being  salt. 

In  the  evening  I  found  myself  very  feverish,  and  went  into 
bed;  but,  having  read  somewhere  that  cold  water  drank  plen 
tifully  was  good  for  a  fever,  I  folio  w'd  the  prescription,  sweat 
plentiful  most  of  the  night,  my  fever  left  me,  and  in  the  morn 
ing,  crossing  the  ferry,  I  proceeded  on  my  journey  on  foot, 
having  fifty  miles  to  Burlington,  where  I  was  told  I  should  find 
boats  that  would  carry  me  the  rest  of  the  way  to  Philadelphia. 

It  rained  very  hard  all  the  day ;  I  was  thoroughly  soak'd,  and 
by  noon  a  good  deal  tired ;  so  I  stopt  at  a  poor  inn,  where  I  staid 
all  night,  beginning  now  to  wish  that  I  had  never  left  home. 
I  cut  so  miserable  a  figure,  too,  that  I  found,  by  the  questions 
ask'd  me,  I  was  suspected  to  be  some  runaway  servant,  and  in 
danger  of  being  taken  up  on  that  suspicion.  However,  I  pro 
ceeded  the  next  day,  and  got  in  the  evening  to  an  inn,  within 
eight  or  ten  miles  of  Burlington,  kept  by  one  Dr.  Brown.  He 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  2,3 

entered  into  conversation  with  me  while  I  took  some  refresh 
ment,  and,  finding  I  had  read  a  little,  became  very  sociable  and 
friendly.  Our  acquaintance  continu'd  as  long  as  he  liv'd.  He 
had  been,  I  imagine,  an  itinerant  doctor,  for  there  was  no  town 
in  England,  or  country  in  Europe,  of  which  he  could  not  give 
a  very  particular  account.  He  had  some  letters,  and  was  ingen 
ious,  but  much  of  an  unbeliever,  and  wickedly  undertook, 
some  years  after,  to  travestie  the  Bible  in  doggrel  verse,  as  Cot 
ton  had  done  Virgil.  By  this  means  he  set  many  of  the  facts  in 
a  very  ridiculous  light,  and  might  have  hurt  weak  minds  if  his 
work  had  been  published ;  but  it  never  was. 

At  his  house  I  lay  that  night,  and  the  next  morning  reach'd 
Burlington,  but  had  the  mortification  to  find  that  the  regular 
boats  were  gone  a  little  before  my  coming,  and  no  other  expected 
to  go  before  Tuesday,  this  being  Saturday ;  wherefore  I  returned 
to  an  old  woman  in  the  town,  of  whom  I  had  bought  ginger 
bread  to  eat  on  the  water,  and  ask'd  her  advice.  She  invited  me 
to  lodge  at  her  house  till  a  passage  by  water  should  offer ;  and 
being  tired  with  my  foot  travelling,  I  accepted  the  invitation. 
She  understanding  I  was  a  printer,  would  have  had  me  stay  at 
that  town  and  follow  my  business,  being  ignorant  of  the  stock 
necessary  to  begin  with.  She  was  very  hospitable,  gave  me  a 
dinner  of  ox-cheek  with  great  good  will,  accepting  only  of 
a  pot  of  ale  in  return ;  and  I  thought  myself  fixed  till  Tuesday 
should  come.  However,  walking  in  the  evening  by  the  side  of 
the  river,  a  boat  came  by,  which  I  found  was  going  towards 
Philadelphia,  with  several  people  in  her.  They  took  me  in,  and, 
as  there  was  no  wind,  we  row'd  all  the  way ;  and  about  midnight, 
not  having  yet  seen  the  city,  some  of  the  company  were  con 
fident  we  must  have  passed  it,  and  would  row  no  farther  ;  the 
others  knew  not  where  we  were  ;  so  we  put  toward  the  shore, 
got  into  a  creek,  landed  near  an  old  fence,  with  the  rails  of  which 
we  made  a  fire,  the  night  being  cold,  in  October,  and  there  we 
remained  till  daylight.  Then  one  of  the  company  knew  the 


2,4        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

place  to  be  Cooper's  Creek,  a  little  above  Philadelphia,  which 
we  saw  as  soon  as  we  got  out  of  the  creek,  and  arriv'd  there  about 
eight  or  nine  o'clock  on  the  Sunday  morning,  and  landed  at  the 
Market-street  wharf. 

I  have  been  the  more  particular  in  this  description  of  my  jour 
ney,  and  shall  be  so  of  my  first  entry  into  that  city,  that  you  may 
in  your  mind  compare  such  unlikely  beginnings  with  the  figure 
I  have  since  made  there.  I  was  in  my  working  dress,  my  best 
clothes  being  to  come  round  by  sea.  I  was  dirty  from  my  jour 
ney;  my  pockets  were  stuff 'd  out  with  shirts  and  stockings,  and 
I  knew  no  soul  nor  where  to  look  for  lodging.  I  was  fatigued 
with  travelling,  rowing,  and  want  of  rest,  I  was  very  hungry ;  and 
my  whole  stock  of  cash  consisted  of  a  Dutch  dollar,  and  about  a 
shilling  in  copper.  The  latter  I  gave  the  people  of  the  boat  for 
my  passage,  who  at  first  refus'd  it,  on  account  of  my  rowing  ; 
but  I  insisted  on  their  taking  it.  A  man  being  sometimes  more 
generous  when  he  has  but  a  little  money  than  when  he  has 
plenty,  perhaps  thro'  fear  of  being  thought  to  have  but  little. 

Then  I  walked  up  the  street,  gazing  about  till  near  the 
market-house  I  met  a  boy  with  bread.  I  had  made  many  a  meal 
on  bread,  and,  inquiring  where  he  got  it,  I  went  immediately 
to  the  baker's  he  directed  me  to,  in  Second-street,  and  ask'd  for 
bisket,  intending  such  as  we  had  in  Boston ;  but  they,  it  seems, 
were  not  made  in  Philadelphia.  Then  I  asked  for  a  three-penny 
loaf,  and  was  told  they  had  none  such.  So  not  considering  or 
knowing  the  difference  of  money,  and  the  greater  cheapness 
nor  the  names  of  his  bread,  I  bad  him  give  me  three-penny 
worth  of  any  sort.  He  gave  me,  accordingly,  three  great  puffy 
rolls.  I  was  surpriz'd  at  the  quantity,  but  took  it,  and,  having 
no  room  in  my  pockets,  walk'd  off  with  a  roll  under  each  arm, 
and  eating  the  other.  Thus  I  went  up  Market-street  as  far  as 
Fourth-street,  passing  by  the  door  of  Mr.  Read,  my  future  wife's 
father ;  when  she,  standing  at  the  door,  saw  me,  and  thought 
I  made,  as  I  certainly  did,  a  most  awkward,  ridiculous  appear- 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  25 

ance.  Then  I  turned  and  went  down  Chestnut-street  and  part 
of  Walnut-street,  eating  my  roll  all  the  way,  and,  coming  round, 
found  myself  again  at  Market-street  wharf,  near  the  boat  I 
came  in,  to  which  I  went  for  a  draught  of  the  river  water;  and, 
being  filled  with  one  of  my  rolls,  gave  the  other  two  to  a  woman 
and  her  child  that  came  down  the  river  in  the  boat  with  us,  and 
were  waiting  to  go  farther. 

Thus  refreshed,  I  walked  again  up  the  street,  which  by  this 
time  had  many  clean-dressed  people  in  it,  who  were  all  walking 
the  same  way.  I  joined  them,  and  thereby  was  led  into  the 
great  meeting-house  of  the  Quakers  near  the  market.  I  sat  down 
among  them,  and,  after  looking  round  awhile  and  hearing 
nothing  said,  being  very  drowsy  thro*  labor  and  want  of  rest 
the  preceding  night,  I  fell  fast  asleep,  and  continued  so  till  the 
meeting  broke  up,  when  one  was  kind  enough  to  rouse  me. 
This  was,  therefore,  the  first  house  I  was  in,  or  slept  in,  in  Phil 
adelphia. 

Walking  down  again  toward  the  river,  and,  looking  in  the 
faces  of  people,  I  met  a  young  Quaker  man,  whose  countenance 
I  lik'd,  and,  accosting  him,  requested  he  would  tell  me  where 
a  stranger  could  get  lodging.  We  were  then  near  the  sign  of 
the  Three  Mariners.  "Here,"  says  he,  "is  one  place  that  en 
tertains  strangers,  but  it  is  not  a  reputable  house;  if  thee  wilt 
walk  with  me,  I  '11  show  thee  a  better."  He  brought  me  to 
the  Crooked  Billet  in  Water-street.  Here  I  got  a  dinner;  and, 
while  I  was  eating  it,  several  sly  questions  were  asked  me,  as 
it  seemed  to  be  suspected  from  my  youth  and  appearance,  that 
I  might  be  some  runaway. 

After  dinner,  my  sleepiness  return'd,  and  being  shown  to 
a  bed,  I  lay  down  without  undressing,  and  slept  till  six  in  the 
evening,  was  call'd  to  supper,  went  to  bed  again  very  early,  and 
slept  soundly  till  next  morning.  Then  I  made  myself  as  tidy 
as  I  could,  and  went  to  Andrew  Bradford  the  printer's.  I  found 
in  the  shop  the  old  man  his  father,  whom  I  had  seen  at  New 


26        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

York,  and  who,  travelling  on  horseback,  had  got  to  Philadel 
phia  before  me.  He  introduced  me  to  his  son,  who  receiv'd  me 
civilly,  gave  me  a  breakfast,  but  told  me  he  did  not  at  present 
want  a  hand,  being  lately  suppli'd  with  one;  but  there  was  an 
other  printer  in  town,  lately  set  up,  one  Keimer,  who,  perhaps, 
might  employ  me ;  if  not,  I  should  be  welcome  to  lodge  at  his 
house,  and  he  would  give  me  a  little  work  to  do  now  and  then 
till  fuller  business  should  offer. 

The  old  gentleman  said  he  would  go  with  me  to  the  new 
printer;  and  when  we  found  him,  "Neighbor/*  says  Bradford, 
"I  have  brought  to  see  you  a  young  man  of  your  business;  per 
haps  you  may  want  such  a  one."  He  ask'd  me  a  few  questions, 
put  a  composing  stick  in  my  hand  to  see  how  I  work'd,  and 
then  said  he  would  employ  me  soon,  though  he  had  just  then 
nothing  for  me  to  do ;  and,  taking  old  Bradford,  whom  he  had 
never  seen  before,  to  be  one  of  the  town's  people  that  had  a 
good  will  for  him,  enter'd  into  a  conversation  on  his  present 
undertaking  and  prospects;  while  Bradford,  not  discovering 
that  he  was  the  other  printer's  father,  on  Keimer's  saying  he 
expected  soon  to  get  the  greatest  part  of  the  business  into  his 
own  hands,  drew  him  on  by  artful  questions,  and  starting  little 
doubts,  to  explain  all  his  views,  what  interest  he  reli'd  on,  and 
in  what  manner  he  intended  to  proceed.  I,  who  stood  by  and 
heard  all,  saw  immediately  that  one  of  them  was  a  crafty  old 
sophister,  and  the  other  a  mere  novice.  Bradford  left  me  with 
Keimer,  who  was  greatly  surprised  when  I  told  him  who  the 
old  man  was. 

Keimer's  printing-house,  I  found,  consisted  of  an  old  shattered 
press,  and  one  small,  worn-out  font  of  English,  which  he  was 
then  using  himself,  composing  an  Elegy  on  Aquila  Rose,  before 
mentioned,  an  ingenious  young  man,  of  excellent  character, 
much  respected  in  the  town,  clerk  of  the  Assembly,  and  a  pretty 
poet.  Keimer  made  verses  too,  but  very  indifferently .  He  could 
not  be  said  to  write  them,  for  his  manner  was  to  compose  them 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  2,7 

in  the  types  directly  out  of  his  head.  So  there  being  no  copy, 
but  one  pair  of  cases,  and  the  Elegy  likely  to  require  all  the 
letter,  no  one  could  help  him.  I  endeavor'd  to  put  his  press 
(which  he  had  not  yet  us'd,  and  of  which  he  understood  nothing) 
into  order  fit  to  be  work'd  with;  and,  promising  to  come 
and  print  off  his  Elegy  as  soon  as  he  should  have  got  it  ready, 
I  return'd  to  Bradford's,  who  gave  me  a  little  job  to  do  for  the 
present,  and  there  I  lodgedand  dieted.  A  few  days  after,  Keimer 
sent  for  me  to  print  off  the  Elegy.  And  now  he  had  got  another 
pair  of  cases,  and  a  pamphlet  to  reprint,  on  which  he  set  me  to 
work. 

These  two  printers  I  found  poorly  qualified  for  their  business. 
Bradford  had  not  been  bred  to  it,  and  was  very  illiterate ;  and 
Keimer,  tho'  something  of  a  scholar,  was  a  mere  compositor, 
knowing  nothing  of  press  work.  He  had  been  one  of  the  French 
prophets,  and  could  act  their  enthusiastic  agitations.  At  this 
time  he  did  not  profess  any  particular  religion,  but  something 
of  all  on  occasion ;  was  very  ignorant  of  the  world,  and  had,  as 
I  afterward  found,  a  good  deal  of  the  knave  in  his  composition. 
He  did  not  like  my  lodging  at  Bradford's  while  I  work'd  with 
him.  He  had  a  house,  indeed,  but  without  furniture,  so  he 
could  not  lodge  me ;  but  he  got  me  a  lodging  at  Mr  Read's, 
before  mentioned,  who  was  the  owner  of  his  house;  and,  my 
chest  and  clothes  being  come  by  this  time,  I  made  rather  a  more 
respectable  appearance  in  the  eyes  of  Miss  Read  than  I  had 
done  when  she  first  happen' d  to  see  me  eating  my  roll  in  the 
street. 

I  began  now  to  have  some  acquaintance  among  the  young 
people  of  the  town,  that  were  lovers  of  reading,  with  whom  I 
spent  my  evenings  very  pleasantly ;  and  gaining  money  by  my 
industry  and  frugality,  I  lived  very  agreeably,  forgetting  Boston 
as  much  as  I  could,  and  not  desiring  that  any  there  should  know 
where  I  resided,  except  my  friend  Collins,  who  was  in  my  secret, 
and  kept  it  when  I  wrote  to  him.  At  length,  an  incident  hap- 


2,8         THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

pened  that  sent  me  back  again  much  sooner  than  I  had  intended. 
I  had  a  brother-in-law,  Robert  Holmes,  master  of  a  sloop  that 
traded  between  Boston  and  Delaware.  He  being  at  Newcastle, 
forty  miles  below  Philadelphia,  heard  there  of  me,  and  wrote 
me  a  letter  mentioning  the  concern  of  my  friends  in  Boston  at 
my  abrupt  departure,  assuring  me  of  their  good  will  to  me,  and 
that  every  thing  would  be  accommodated  to  my  mind  if  I  would 
return,  to  which  he  exhorted  me  very  earnestly.  I  wrote  an 
answer  to  his  letter,  thank' d  him  for  his  advice,  but  stated  my 
reasons  for  quitting  Boston  fully  and  in  such  a  light  as  to  con 
vince  him  I  was  not  so  wrong  as  he  had  apprehended. 

Sir  William  Keith,  governor  of  the  province,  was  then  at 
Newcastle,  and  Captain  Holmes,  happening  to  be  in  company 
with  him  when  my  letter  came  to  hand,  spoke  to  him  of  me, 
and  show'd  him  the  letter.  The  governor  read  it  and  seem'd 
surpris'd  when  he  was  told  of  my  age.  He  said  I  appear' d  a 
young  man  of  promising  parts,  and  therefore  should  be  encour 
aged;  the  printers  at  Philadelphia  were  wretched  ones;  and, 
if  I  would  set  up  there,  he  made  no  doubt  I  should  succeed ; 
for  his  part,  he  would  procure  me  the  public  business,  and  do 
me  every  other  service  in  his  power.  This  my  brother-in-law 
afterwards  told  me  in  Boston,  but  I  knew  as  yet  nothing  of  it; 
when,  one  day,  Keimer  and  I  being  at  work  together  near  the 
window,  we  saw  the  governor  and  another  gentleman  (which 
proved  to  be  Colonel  French,  of  Newcastle),  finely  dress'd, 
come  directly  across  the  street  to  our  house,  and  heard  them  at 
the  door. 

Keimer  ran  down  immediately,  thinking  it  a  visit  to  him; 
but  the  governor  inquir'd  for  me,  came  up,  and  with  a  conde 
scension  and  politeness  I  had  been  quite  unus'd  to,  made  me 
many  compliments,  desired  to  be  acquainted  with  me,  blam'd 
me  kindly  for  not  having  made  myself  known  to  him  when  I 
first  came  to  the  place,  and  would  have  me  away  with  him  to 
the  tavern,  where  he  was  going  with  Colonel  French  to  taste, 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  29 

as  he  said,  some  excellent  Madeira.  I  was  not  a  little  surprised, 
and  Keimer  star'd  like  a  pig  poison'd.  I  went,  however,  with 
the  governor  and  Colonel  French  to  a  tavern,  at  the  corner  of 
Third-street,  and  over  the  Madeira  he  propos'd  my  setting  up 
my  business,  laid  before  me  the  probabilities  of  success,  and  both 
he  and  Colonel  French  assur'd  me  I  should  have  their  interest 
and  influence  in  procuring  the  public  business  of  both  govern 
ments.  On  my  doubting  whether  my  father  would  assist  me  in 
it,  Sir  William  said  he  would  give  me  a  letter  to  him,  in  which 
he  would  state  the  advantages,  and  he  did  not  doubt  of  prevail 
ing  with  him.  So  it  was  concluded  I  should  return  to  Boston 
in  the  first  vessel,  with  the  governor's  letter  recommending  me 
to  my  father.  In  the  mean  time  the  intention  was  to  be  kept 
a  secret,  and  I  went  on  working  with  Keimer  as  usual,  the  gov 
ernor  sending  for  me  now  and  then  to  dine  with  him,  a  very 
great  honor  I  thought  it,  and  conversing  with  me  in  the  most 
affable,  familiar,  and  friendly  manner  imaginable. 

About  the  end  of  April,  1724,  a  little  vessel  offer'd  for  Bos 
ton.  I  took  leave  of  Keimer  as  going  to  see  my  friends.  The 
governor  gave  me  an  ample  letter,  saying  many  flattering  things 
of  me  to  my  father,  and  strongly  recommending  the  project  of 
my  setting  up  at  Philadelphia  as  a  thing  that  must  make  my 
fortune.  We  struck  on  a  shoal  in  going  down  the  bay,  and 
sprung  a  leak;  we  had  a  blustering  time  at  sea, and  were  oblig'd 
to  pump  almost  continually,  at  which  I  took  my  turn.  We 
arriv'd  safe,  however,  at  Boston  in  about  a  fortnight.  I  had  been 
absent  seven  months,  and  my  friends  had  heard  nothing  of  me; 
for  my  br.  Holmes  was  not  yet  return'd,  and  had  not  written 
about  me.  My  unexpected  appearance,surpriz'd  the  family ;  all 
were,  however,  very  glad  to  see  me,  and  made  me  welcome, 
except  my  brother.  I  went  to  see  him  at  his  printing-house. 
I  was  better  dress' d  than  ever  while  in  his  service,  having  a  gen 
teel  new  suit  from  head  to  foot,  a  watch,  and  my  pockets  lin'd 
with  near  five  pounds  sterling  in  silver.  He  receiv'd  me 


30        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

not  very  frankly,  look'd  me  all  over,  and  turn'd  to  his  work 
again. 

The  journeymen  were  inquisitive  where  I  had  been,  what 
sort  of  a  country  it  was,  and  how  I  lik'd  it.  I  prais'd  it  much, 
and  the  happy  life  I  led  in  it,  expressing  strongly  my  intention 
of  returning  to  it ;  and,  one  of  them  asking  what  kind  of  money 
we  had  there,  I  produc'd  a  handful  of  silver,  and  spread  it  be 
fore  them,  which  was  a  kind  of  raree-show  they  had  not  been 
us'd  to,  paper  being  the  money  of  Boston.  Then  I  took  an  op 
portunity  of  letting  them  see  my  watch ;  and,  lastly  (my  brother 
still  grum  and  sullen),  I  gave  them  a  piece  of  eight  to  drink,  and 
took  my  leave.  This  visit  of  mine  offended  him  extreamly ;  for, 
when  my  mother  some  time  after  spoke  to  him  of  a  recon 
ciliation,  and  of  her  wishes  to  see  us  on  good  terms  together, 
and  that  we  might  live  for  the  future  as  brothers,  he  said  I  had 
insulted  him  in  such  a  manner  before  his  people  that  he  could 
never  forget  or  forgive  it.  In  this,  however,  he  was  mistaken. 

My  father  received  the  governor's  letter  with  some  apparent 
surprise,  but  said  little  of  it  to  me  for  some  days,  when  Capt. 
Holmes  returning  he  showed  it  to  him,  ask'd  him  if  he  knew 
Keith,  and  what  kind  of  man  he  was ;  adding  his  opinion  that 
he  must  be  of  small  discretion  to  think  of  setting  a  boy  up  in 
business  who  wanted  yet  three  years  of  being  at  man's  estate. 
Holmes  said  what  he  could  in  favor  of  the  project,  but  my  father 
was  clear  in  the  impropriety  of  it,  and  at  last  gave  a  flat  denial 
to  it.  Then  he  wrote  a  civil  letter  to  Sir  William,  thanking  him 
for  the  patronage  he  had  so  kindly  offered  me,  but  declining  to 
assist  me  as  yet  in  setting  up,  I  being,  in  his  opinion,  too  young 
to  be  trusted  with  the  management  of  a  business  so  important, 
and  for  which  the  preparation  must  be  so  expensive. 

My  friend  and  companion  Collins,  who  was  a  clerk  in  the 
post-office,  pleas' d  with  the  account  I  gave  him  of  my  new 
country,  determined  to  go  thither  also;  and,  while  I  waited  for 
my  father's  determination,  he  set  out  before  me  by  land  to 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  31 

Rhode  Island,  leaving  his  books,  which  were  a  pretty  collec 
tion  of  mathematicks  and  natural  philosophy,  to  come  with 
mine  and  me  to  New  York,  where  he  propos'd  to  wait  for  me. 

My  father,  tho'  he  did  not  approve  Sir  William's  proposi 
tion,  was  yet  pleas'd  that  I  had  been  able  to  obtain  so  advan 
tageous  a  character  from  a  person  of  such  note  where  I  had 
resided,  and  that  I  had  been  so  industrious  and  careful  as  to 
equip  myself  so  handsomely  in  so  short  a  time ;  therefore,  seeing 
no  prospect  of  an  accommodation  between  my  brother  and  me, 
he  gave  his  consent  to  my  returning  again  to  Philadelphia,  ad- 
vis' d  me  to  behave  respectfully  to  the  people  there,  endeavor 
to  obtain  the  general  esteem,  and  avoid  lampooning  and  libel 
ing,  to  which  he  thought  I  had  too  much  inclination;  telling 
me,  that  by  steady  industry  and  a  prudent  parsimony  I  might 
save  enough  by  the  time  I  was  one-and-twenty  to  set  me  up ; 
and  that,  if  I  came  near  the  matter,  he  would  help  me  out  with 
the  rest.  This  was  all  I  could  obtain,  except  some  small  gifts 
as  tokens  of  his  and  my  mother's  love,  when  I  embarked  again 
for  New  York,  now  with  their  approbation  and  their  blessing. 

The  sloop  putting  in  at  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  I  visited 
my  brother  John,  who  had  been  married  and  settled  there  some 
years.  He  received  me  very  affectionately,  for  he  always  lov'd 
me.  A  friend  of  his,  one  Vernon,  having  some  money  due  to 
him  in  Pensilvania,  about  thirty-five  pounds  currency,  desired 
I  would  receive  it  for  him,  and  keep  it  till  I  had  his  directions 
what  to  remit  it  in.  Accordingly,  he  gave  me  an  order.  This 
afterwards  occasion'd  me  a  great  deal  of  uneasiness. 

At  Newport  we  took  in  a  number  of  passengers  for  New 
York,  among  which  were  two  young  women,  companions,  and 
a  grave,  sensible,  matron-like  Quaker  woman,  with  her  attend 
ants.  I  had  shown  an  obliging  readiness  to  do  her  some  little 
services,  which  impress' d  her  I  suppose  with  a  degree  of  good 
will  toward  me;  therefore,  when  she  saw  a  daily  growing  famil 
iarity  between  me  and  the  two  young  women,  which  they 


32        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

appear' d  to  encourage,  she  took  me  aside,  and  said,  "  Young 
man,  I  am  concern5  d  for  thee,  as  thou  has  no  friend  with  thee, 
and  seems  not  to  know  much  of  the  world,  or  of  the  snares  youth 
is  expos' d  to ;  depend  upon  it,  those  are  very  bad  women  ;  I  can 
see  it  in  all  their  actions  ;  and  if  thee  art  not  upon  thy  guard, 
they  will  draw  you  into  some  danger;  they  are  strangers  to  thee, 
and  I  advise  thee,  in  a  friendly  concern  for  thy  welfare,  to  have 
no  acquaintance  with  them."  As  I  seem'd  at  first  not  to  think 
so  ill  of  them  as  she  did,  she  mentioned  some  things  she  had 
observ'd  and  heard  that  had  escap'd  my  notice,  but  now  con- 
vinc'd  me  she  was  right.  I  thank'd  her  for  her  kind  advice,  and 
promis'd  to  follow  it.  When  we  arriv'd  at  New  York,  they  told 
me  where  they  liv'd,  and  invited  me  to  come  and  see  them ;  but 
I  avoided  it,  and  it  was  well  I  did ;  for  the  next  day  the  captain 
miss'd  a  silver  spoon  and  some  other  things,  that  had  been  taken 
out  of  his  cabbin,  and,  knowing  that  these  were  a  couple  of 
strumpets,  he  got  a  warrant  to  search  their  lodgings,  found  the 
stolen  goods,  and  had  the  thieves  punish'd.  So,  tho'  we  had 
escap'd  a  sunken  rock,  which  we  scrap' d  upon  in  the  passage, 
I  thought  this  escape  of  rather  more  importance  to  me. 

At  New  York  I  found  my  friend  Collins,  who  had  arriv'd 
there  some  time  before  me.  We  had  been  intimate  from  chil 
dren,  and  had  read  the  same  books  together;  but  he  had  the 
advantage  of  more  time  for  reading  and  studying,  and  a  won 
derful  genius  for  mathematical  learning,  in  which  he  far  out- 
stript  me.  While  I  liv'd  in  Boston,  most  of  my  hours  of  leisure 
for  conversation  were  spent  with  him,  and  he  continu'd  a  sober 
as  well  as  an  industrious  lad  ;  was  much  respected  for  his  learn 
ing  by  several  of  the  clergy  and  other  gentlemen,  and  seemed  to 
promise  making  a  good  figure  in  life.  But,  during  my  absence, 
he  had  acquir'd  a  habit  of  sotting  with  brandy;  and  I  found  by 
his  own  account,  and  what  I  heard  from  others,  that  he  had 
been  drunk  every  day  since  his  arrival  at  New  York,  and  behav'd 
very  oddly.  He  had  gam'd,  too,  and  lost  his  money,  so  that  I 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  33 

was  oblig'd  to  discharge  his  lodgings,  and  defray  his  expenses 
to  and  at  Philadelphia,  which  prov'd  extremely  inconvenient 
to  me. 

The  then  governor  of  New  York,  Burnet  (son  of  Bishop 
Burnet),  hearing  from  the  captain  that  a  young  man,  one  of  his 
passengers,  had  a  great  many  books,  desir'd  he  would  bring  me 
to  see  him.  I  waited  upon  him  accordingly,  and  should  have 
taken  Collins  with  me  but  that  he  was  not  sober.  The  gov'r. 
treated  me  with  great  civility,  show'd  me  his  library,  which 
was  a  very  large  one,  and  we  had  a  good  deal  of  conversation 
about  books  and  authors.  This  was  the  second  governor  who 
had  done  me  the  honor  to  take  notice  of  me  ;  which,  to  a  poor 
boy  like  me,  was  very  pleasing. 

We  proceeded  to  Philadelphia.  I  received  on  the  way  Ver- 
non's  money,  without  which  we  could  hardly  have  finished  our 
journey.  Collins  wished  to  be  employed  in  some  counting- 
house  ;  but,  whether  they  discover' d  his  dramming  by  his 
breath,  or  by  his  behaviour,  tho'  he  had  some  recommenda 
tions,  he  met  with  no  success  in  any  application,  and  continu'd 
lodging  and  boarding  at  the  same  house  with  me,  and  at  my 
expense.  Knowing  I  had  that  money  of  Vernon's,  he  was  con 
tinually  borrowing  of  me,  still  promising  repayment  as  soon  as 
he  should  be  in  business.  At  length  he  had  got  so  much  of  it 
that  I  was  distress' d  to  think  what  I  should  do  in  case  of  being 
call'd  on  to  remit  it. 

His  drinking  continu'd,  about  which  we  sometimes  quar- 
rell'd ;  for,  when  a  little  intoxicated,  he  was  very  fractious. 
Once,  in  a  boat  on  the  Delaware  with  some  other  young  men, 
he  refused  to  row  in  his  turn.  "  I  will  be  row'd  home,"  says  he. 
"We  will  not  row  you,"  says  I.  "  You  must,  or  stay  all  night 
on  the  water,"  says  he,  "just  as  you  please."  The  others  said, 
"  Let  us  row ;  what  signifies  it  ?  "  But,  my  mind  being  soured 
with  his  other  conduct,  I  continu'd  to  refuse.  So  he  swore  he 
would  make  me  row,  or  throw  me  overboard ;  and  coming 


34        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

along,  stepping  on  the  thwarts,  toward  me,  when  he  came  up 
and  struck  at  me,  I  clapped  my  hand  under  his  crutch,  and,  ris 
ing,  pitched  him  head-foremost  into  the  river.  I  knew  he  was 
a  good  swimmer,  and  so  was  under  little  concern  about  him ; 
but  before  he  could  get  round  to  lay  hold  of  the  boat,  we  had 
with  a  few  strokes  pull'd  her  out  of  his  reach  ;  and  ever  when 
he  drew  near  the  boat,  we  ask'd  if  he  would  row,  striking  a  few 
strokes  to  slide  away  from  him.  He  was  ready  to  die  with  vex 
ation,  and  obstinately  would  not  promise  to  row.  However,  see 
ing  him  at  last  beginning  to  tire,  we  lifted  him  in  and  brought 
him  home  dripping  wet  in  the  evening.  We  hardly  exchang'd 
a  civil  word  afterwards,  and  a  West  India  captain,  who  had  a 
commission  to  procure  a  tutor  for  the  sons  of  a  gentleman  at 
Barbadoes,  happening  to  meet  with  him,  agreed  to  carry  him 
thither.  He  left  me  then,  promising  to  remit  me  the  first 
money  he  should  receive  in  order  to  discharge  the  debt ;  but 
I  never  heard  of  him  after. 

The  breaking  into  this  money  of  Vernon's  was  one  of  the 
first  great  errata  of  my  life;  and  this  affair  show'd  that  my  father 
was  not  much  out  in  his  judgment  when  he  suppos'd  me  too 
young  to  manage  business  of  importance.  But  Sir  William,  on 
reading  his  letter,  said  he  was  too  prudent.  There  was  great 
difference  in  persons ;  and  discretion  did  not  always  accompany 
years,  nor  was  youth  always  without  it.  "And  since  he  will  not 
set  you  up,"  says  he,  "I  will  do  it  myself.  Give  me  an  inventory 
of  the  things  necessary  to  be  had  from  England,  and  I  will  send 
for  them.  You  shall  repay  me  when  you  are  able;  I  am  resolv'd 
to  have  a  good  printer  here,  and  I  am  sure  you  must  succeed." 
This  was  spoken  with  such  an  appearance  of  cordiality,  that  I 
had  not  the  least  doubt  of  his  meaning  what  he  said.  I  had 
hitherto  kept  the  proposition  of  my  setting  up,  a  secret  in  Phila- 
delphia,and  I  still  kept  it.  Had  it  been  known  that  I  depended 
on  the  governor,  probably  some  friend,  that  knew  him  better, 
would  have  advis'd  me  not  to  rely  on  him,  as  I  afterwards  heard 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  35 

it  as  his  known  character  to  be  liberal  of  promises  which  he 
never  meant  to  keep.  Yet,  unsolicited  as  he  was  by  me,  how 
could  I  think  his  generous  offers  insincere?  I  believ'd  him  one 
of  the  best  men  in  the  world. 

I  presented  him  an  inventory  of  a  little  print' g-house, 
amounting  by  my  computation  to  about  one  hundred  pounds 
sterling.  He  lik'd  it,  but  ask'd  me  if  my  being  on  the  spot  in 
England  to  chuse  the  types,  and  see  that  every  thing  was  good 
of  the  kind,  might  not  be  of  some  advantage.  "Then,"  says  he, 
"  when  there,  you  may  make  acquaintances,  and  establish  cor 
respondences  in  the  bookselling  and  stationery  way."  I  agreed 
that  this  might  be  advantageous.  "  Then,"  says  he,  "get  your 
self  ready  to  go  with  Annis; "  which  was  the  annual  ship,  and 
the  only  one  at  that  time  usually  passing  between  London  and 
Philadelphia.  But  it  would  be  some  months  before  Annis 
sail'd,  so  I  continu'd  working  with  Keimer,  fretting  about  the 
money  Collins  had  got  from  me,  and  in  daily  apprehensions  of 
being  call'd  upon  by  Vernon,  which,  however,  did  not  happen 
for  some  years  after. 

I  believe  I  have  omitted  mentioning  that,  in  my  first  voyage 
from  Boston,  being  becalm'd  off  Block  Island,  our  people  set 
about  catching  cod,  and  hauled  up  a  great  many.  Hitherto  I 
had  stuck  to  my  resolution  of  not  eating  animal  food,  and  on 
this  occasion  I  consider' d,  with  my  master  Tryon,  the  taking 
every  fish  as  a  kind  of  unprovoked  murder,  since  none  of  them 
had,  or  ever  could  do  us  any  injury  that  might  justify  the 
slaughter.  All  this  seemed  very  reasonable.  But  I  had  formerly 
been  a  great  lover  of  fish,  and,  when  this  came  hot  out  of  the 
frying-pan,  it  smelt  admirably  well.  I  balanc'd  some  time  be 
tween  principle  and  inclination,  till  I  recollected  that,  when 
the  fish  were  opened,  I  saw  smaller  fish  taken  out  of  their 
stomachs;  then  thought  I,  "If  you  eat  one  another,  I  don't  see 
why  we  mayn't  eat  you."  So  I  din'd  upon  cod  very  heartily, 
and  continued  to  eat  with  other  people,  returning  only  now  and 


36        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

then  occasionally  to  a  vegetable  diet.  So  convenient  a  thing  is 
it  to  be  a  reasonable  creature,  since  it  enables  one  to  find  or  make 
a  reason  for  every  thing  one  has  a  mind  to  do. 

Keimer  and  I  liv'd  on  a  pretty  good  familiar  footing,  and 
agreed  tolerably  well,  for  he  suspected  nothing  of  my  setting 
up.  He  retained  a  great  deal  of  his  old  enthusiasms  and  lov'd 
argumentation.  We  therefore  had  many  disputations.  I  used  to 
work  him  so  with  my  Socratic  method,  and  had  trepann'd  him 
so  often  by  questions  apparently  so  distant  from  any  point  we 
had  in  hand,  and  yet  by  degrees  lead  to  the  point,  and  brought 
him  into  difficulties  and  contradictions,  that  at  last  he  grew 
ridiculously  cautious,  and  would  hardly  answer  me  the  most 
common  question,  without  asking  first,  "  What  do  you  intend  to 
infer  from  that?  "  However,  it  gave  him  so  high  an  opinion  of 
my  abilities  in  the  confuting  way,  that  he  seriously  proposed 
my  being  his  colleague  in  a  project  he  had  of  setting  up  a  new 
sect.  He  was  to  preach  the  doctrines,  and  I  was  to  confound  all 
opponents.  When  he  came  to  explain  with  me  upon  the  doc 
trines,  I  found  several  conundrums  which  I  objected  to,  unless 
I  might  have  my  way  a  little  too,  and  introduce  some  of  mine. 

Keimer  wore  his  beard  at  full  length,  because  somewhere  in 
the  Mosaic  law  it  is  said,  "  'Thou  shalt  not  mar  the  corners  of  thy 
beard"  He  likewise  kept  the  Seventh  day,  Sabbath  ;  and  these 
two  points  were  essentials  with  him.  I  dislik'd  both ;  but 
agreed  to  admit  them  upon  condition  of  his  adopting  the  doc 
trine  of  using  no  animal  food.  "  I  doubt,"  said  he,  "  my  con 
stitution  will  not  bear  that."  I  assur'd  him  it  would,  and  that 
he  would  be  the  better  for  it.  He  was  usually  a  great  glutton, 
and  I  promised  myself  some  diversion  in  half  starving  him. 
He  agreed  to  try  the  practice,  if  I  would  keep  him  company. 
I  did  so,  and  we  held  it  for  three  months.  We  had  our  victuals 
dress' d,  and  brought  to  us  regularly  by  a  woman  in  the  neigh 
borhood,  who  had  from  me  a  list  of  forty  dishes,  to  be  prepar'd 
for  us  at  different  times,  in  all  which  there  was  neither  fish, 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  37 

flesh,  nor  fowl,  and  the  whim  suited  me  the  better  at  this  time 
from  the  cheapness  of  it,  not  costing  us  above  eighteenpence 
sterling  each  per  week.  I  have  since  kept  several  Lents  most 
strictly,  leaving  the  common  diet  for  that,  and  that  for  the 
common,  abruptly,  without  the  least  inconvenience,  so  that  I 
think  there  is  little  in  the  advice  of  making  those  changes  by 
easy  gradations.  I  went  on  pleasantly,  but  poor  Keimer  suffered 
grievously,  tired  of  the  project,  long'd  for  the  fleshpots  of  Egypt, 
and  order'd  a  roast  pig.  He  invited  me  and  two  women  friends 
to  dine  with  him  ;  but,  it  being  brought  too  soon  upon  table, 
he  could  not  resist  the  temptation,  and  ate  the  whole  before 
we  came. 

I  had  made  some  courtship  during  this  time  to  Miss  Read. 
I  had  a  great  respect  and  affection  for  her,  and  had  some  reason 
to  believe  she  had  the  same  for  me;  but,  as  I  was  about  to  take 
a  long  voyage,  and  we  were  both  very  young,  only  a  little  above 
eighteen,  it  was  thought  most  prudent  by  her  mother  to  prevent 
our  going  too  far  at  present,  as  a  marriage,  if  it  was  to  take 
place,  would  be  more  convenient  after  my  return,  when  I  should 
be,  as  I  expected,  set  up  in  my  business.  Perhaps,  too,  she 
thought  my  expectations  not  so  well  founded  as  I  imagined 
them  to  be. 

My  chief  acquaintances  at  this  time  were  Charles  Osborne, 
Joseph  Watson,  and  James  Ralph,  all  lovers  of  reading.  The 
two  first  were  clerks  to  an  eminent  scrivener  or  conveyancer 
in  the  town,  Charles  Brogden ;  the  other  was  clerk  to  a  mer 
chant.  Watson  was  a  pious,  sensible  young  man,  of  great  integ 
rity  ;  the  others  rather  more  lax  in  their  principles  of  religion, 
particularly  Ralph,  who,  as  well  as  Collins,  had  been  unsettled 
by  me,  for  which  they  both  made  me  suffer.  Osborne  was 
sensible,  candid,  frank ;  sincere  and  affectionate  to  his  friends ; 
but,  in  literary  matters,  too  fond  of  criticising.  Ralph  was 
ingenious,  genteel  in  his  manners,  and  extremely  eloquent; 
I  think  I  never  knew  a  prettier  talker.  Both  of  them  great  ad- 


THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

mirers  of  poetry,  and  began  to  try  their  hands  in  little  pieces. 
Many  pleasant  walks  we  four  had  together  on  Sundays  into  the 
woods,  near  Schuylkill,  where  we  read  to  one  another,  and  con- 
ferr'd  on  what  we  read. 

Ralph  was  inclin'd  to  pursue  the  study  of  poetry,  not  doubt 
ing  but  he  might  become  eminent  in  it,  and  make  his  fortune 
by  it,  alleging  that  the  best  poets  must,  when  they  first  began 
to  write,  make  as  many  faults  as  he  did.  Osborne  dissuaded  him, 
assur'd  him  he  had  no  genius  for  poetry,  and  advis'd  him  to 
think  of  nothing  beyond  the  business  he  was  bred  to ;  that,  in 
the  mercantile  way,  tho'  he  had  no  stock,  he  might,  by  his  dil 
igence  and  punctuality,  recommend  himself  to  employment 
as  a  factor,  and  in  time  acquire  wherewith  to  trade  on  his  own 
account.  I  approv'd  the  amusing  one's  self  with  poetry  now 
and  then,  so  far  as  to  improve  one's  language,  but  no  farther. 

On  this  it  was  propos'd  that  we  should  each  of  us,  at  our  next 
meeting,  produce  a  piece  of  our  own  composing,  in  order  to 
improve  by  our  mutual  observations,  criticisms,  and  correc 
tions.  As  language  and  expression  were  what  we  had  in  view, 
we  excluded  all  considerations  of  invention  by  agreeing  that 
the  task  should  be  a  version  of  the  eighteenth  Psalm,  which 
describes  the  descent  of  a  Deity.  When  the  time  of  our  meet 
ing  drew  nigh,  Ralph  called  on  me  first,  and  let  me  know  his 
piece  was  ready.  I  told  him  I  had  been  busy,  and,  having  little 
inclination,  had  done  nothing.  He  then  show'd  me  his  piece 
for  my  opinion,  and  I  much  approv'd  it,  as  it  appear'd  to  me  to 
have  great  merit.  "  Now,"  says  he,  "  Osborne  never  will  allow 
the  least  merit  in  any  thing  of  mine,  but  makes  i  ooo  criticisms 
out  of  mere  envy.  He  is  not  so  jealous  of  you ;  I  wish,  there 
fore,  you  would  take  this  piece,  and  produce  it  as  yours ;  I  will 
pretend  not  to  have  had  time,  and  so  produce  nothing.  We 
shall  then  see  what  he  will  say  to  it."  It  was  agreed,  and  I 
immediately  transcrib'd  it,  that  it  might  appear  in  my  own 
hand. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  39 

We  met ;  Watson's  performance  was  read ;  there  were  some 
beauties  in  it,  but  many  defects.  Osborne's  was  read ;  it  was 
much  better;  Ralph  did  it  justice;  remarked  some  faults,  but 
applauded  the  beauties.  He  himself  had  nothing  to  produce. 
I  was  backward ;  seemed  desirous  of  being  excused ;  had  not 
had  sufficient  time  to  correct,  etc.;  but  no  excuse  could  be 
admitted ;  produce  I  must.  It  was  read  and  repeated ;  Watson 
and  Osborne  gave  up  the  contest,  and  join'd  in  applauding  it. 
Ralph  only  made  some  criticisms,  and  propos'd  some  amend 
ments  ;  but  I  defended  my  text.  Osborne  was  against  Ralph, 
and  told  him  he  was  no  better  a  critic  than  a  poet,  so  he  dropt 
the  argument.  As  they  two  went  home  together,  Osborne  ex 
pressed  himself  still  more  strongly  in  favor  of  what  he  thought 
my  production ;  having  restrain' d  himself  before,  as  he  said, 
lest  I  should  think  it  flattery.  "  But  who  would  have  imagin'd," 
said  he, "  that  Franklin  had  been  capable  of  such  a  performance ; 
such  painting,  such  force,  such  fire  !  He  has  even  improv'd 
the  original.  In  his  common  conversation  he  seems  to  have 
no  choice  of  words  ;  he  hesitates  and  blunders ;  and  yet,  good 
God  !  how  he  writes ! "  When  we  next  met,  Ralph  discovered 
the  trick  we  had  plaid  him,  and  Osborne  was  a  little  laught  at. 

This  transaction  fixed  Ralph  in  his  resolution  of  becoming 
a  poet.  I  did  all  I  could  to  dissuade  him  from  it,  but  he  con 
tinued  scribbling  verses  till  Pope  cured  him.  He  became,  how 
ever,  a  pretty  good  prose  writer.  More  of  him  hereafter.  But, 
as  I  may  not  have  occasion  again  to  mention  the  other  two,  I 
shall  just  remark  here,  that  Watson  died  in  my  arms  a  few  years 
after,  much  lamented,  being  the  best  of  our  set.  Osborne  went 
to  the  West  Indies,  where  he  became  an  eminent  lawyer  and 
made  money,  but  died  young.  He  and  I  had  made  a  serious 
agreement,  that  the  one  who  happen'd  first  to  die  should,  if 
possible,  make  a  friendly  visit  to  the  other,  and  acquaint  him 
how  he  found  things  in  that  separate  state.  But  he  never  fulfill'd 
his  promise. 


40        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

The  governor,  seeming  to  like  my  company,  had  me  frequent 
ly  to  his  house,  and  his  setting  me  up  was  always  mention'd  as 
a  fixed  thing.  I  was  to  take  with  me  letters  recommendatory 
to  a  number  of  his  friends,  besides  the  letter  of  credit  to  furnish 
me  with  the  necessary  money  for  purchasing  the  press  and  types, 
paper,  etc.  For  these  letters  I  was  appointed  to  call  at  different 
times,  when  they  were  to  be  ready;  but  a  future  time  was  still 
named.  Thus  he  went  on  till  the  ship,  whose  departure  too  had 
been  several  times  postponed,  was  on  the  point  of  sailing.  Then, 
when  I  call'd  to  take  my  leave  and  receive  the  letters,  his  sec 
retary,  Dr  Bard,  came  out  to  me  and  said  the  governor  was 
extremely  busy  in  writing,  but  would  be  down  at  Newcastle 
before  the  ship,  and  there  the  letters  would  be  delivered  to  me. 

Ralph,  though  married,  and  having  one  child,  had  de 
termined  to  accompany  me  in  this  voyage.  It  was  thought  he 
intended  to  establish  a  correspondence,  and  obtain  goods  to  sell 
on  commission  ;  but  I  found  afterwards,  that,  thro'  some  dis 
content  with  his  wife's  relations,  he  purposed  to  leave  her  on 
their  hands,  and  never  return  again.  Having  taken  leave  of  my 
friends,  and  interchang'd  some  promises  with  Miss  Read,  I  left 
Philadelphia  in  the  ship,  which  anchor'd  at  Newcastle.  The 
governor  was  there;  but  when  I  went  to  his  lodging,  the  sec 
retary  came  to  me  from  him  with  the  civillest  message  in  the 
world,  that  he  could  not  then  see  me,  being  engaged  in  business 
of  the  utmost  importance,  but  should  send  the  letters  to  me  on 
board,  wished  me  heartily  a  good  voyage  and  a  speedy  return, 
etc.  I  returned  on  board  a  little  puzzled,  but  still  not  doubt 
ing. 

Mr  Andrew  Hamilton,  a  famous  lawyer  of  Philadelphia,  had 
taken  passage  in  the  same  ship  for  himself  and  son,  and  with 
Mr  Denham,  a  Quaker  merchant,  and  Messrs  Onion  and  Russel, 
masters  of  an  iron  work  in  Maryland,  had  engag'd  the  great 
cabin;  so  that  Ralph  and  I  were  forced  to  take  up  with  a  berth 
in  the  steerage,  and  none  on  board  knowing  us,  were  considered 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  41 

as  ordinary  persons.  But  Mr  Hamilton  and  his  son  (it  was 
James,  since  governor)  return'd  from  Newcastle  to  Philadel 
phia,  the  father  being  recall' d  by  a  great  fee  to  plead  for  a 
seized  ship;  and,  just  before  we  sail'd,  Colonel  French  coming 
on  board,  and  showing  me  great  respect,  I  was  more  taken  notice 
of,  and,  with  my  friend  Ralph,  invited  by  the  other  gentlemen 
to  come  into  the  cabin,  there  being  now  room.  Accordingly, 
we  remov'd  thither. 

Understanding  that  Colonel  French  had  brought  on  board 
the  governor's  despatches,  I  ask'd  the  captain  for  those  letters 
that  were  to  be  under  my  care.  He  said  all  were  put  into  the 
bag  together  and  he  could  not  then  come  at  them ;  but,  before 
we  landed  in  England,  I  should  have  an  opportunity  of  picking 
them  out ;  so  I  was  satisfied  for  the  present,  and  we  proceeded 
on  our  voyage.  We  had  a  sociable  company  in  the  cabin,  and 
lived  uncommonly  well,  having  the  addition  of  all  Mr  Ham 
ilton's  stores,  who  had  laid  in  plentifully.  In  this  passage  Mr 
Denham  contracted  a  friendship  for  me  that  continued  during 
his  life.  The  voyage  was  otherwise  not  a  pleasant  one,  as  we 
had  a  great  deal  of  bad  weather. 

When  we  came  into  the  Channel,  the  captain  kept  his  word 
with  me,  and  gave  me  an  opportunity  of  examining  the  bag  for 
the  governor's  letters.  I  found  none  upon  which  my  name  was 
put  as  under  my  care.  I  picked  out  six  or  seven,  that,  by  the 
handwriting,  I  thought  might  be  the  promised  letters,  espe 
cially  as  one  of  them  was  directed  to  Basket,  the  king's  printer, 
and  another  to  some  stationer.  We  arriv'd  in  London  the  24th 
of  December,  1724.  I  waited  upon  the  stationer,  who  came 
first  in  my  way,  delivering  the  letter  as  from  Governor  Keith. 
"  I  don't  know  such  a  person,"  says  he ;  but,  opening  the  letter, 
"  O  !  this  is  from  Riddlesden.  I  have  lately  found  him  to  be 
a  compleat  rascal,  and  I  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  him,  nor 
receive  any  letters  from  him."  So,  putting  the  letter  into  my 
hand,  he  turn'd  on  his  heel  and  left  me  to  serve  some  customer. 


I  was  surprized  to  find  these  were  not  the  governor's  letters ; 
and,  after  recollecting  and  comparing  circumstances,  I  began 
to  doubt  his  sincerity.  I  found  my  friend  Denham,  and  opened 
the  whole  affair  to  him.  He  let  me  into  Keith's  character;  told 
me  there  was  not  the  least  probability  that  he  had  written  any 
letters  for  me ;  that  no  one,  who  knew  him,  had  the  smallest 
dependence  on  him  ;  and  he  laught  at  the  notion  of  the  gov 
ernor's  giving  me  a  letter  of  credit,  having,  as  he  said,  no  credit 
to  give.  On  my  expressing  some  concern  about  what  I  should 
do,  he  advised  me  to  endeavor  getting  some  employment  in 
the  way  of  my  business.  "  Among  the  printers  here,"  said  he, 
"you  will  improve  yourself,  and  when  you  return  to  America, 
you  will  set  up  to  greater  advantage." 

We  both  of  us  happen'd  to  know,  as  well  as  the  stationer, 
that  Riddlesden,  the  attorney,  was  a  very  knave.  He  had  half 
ruin'd  Miss  Read's  father  by  persuading  him  to  be  bound  for 
him.  By  this  letter  it  appear'd  there  was  a  secret  scheme  on 
foot  to  the  prejudice  of  Hamilton  (suppos'd  to  be  then  coming 
over  with  us)  ;  and  that  Keith  was  concerned  in  it  with  Rid 
dlesden.  Denham,  who  was  a  friend  of  Hamilton's,  thought 
he  ought  to  be  acquainted  with  it ;  so,  when  he  arriv'd  in  Eng 
land,  which  was  soon  after,  partly  from  resentment  and  ill-will 
to  Keith  and  Riddlesden,  and  partly  from  good- will  to  him,  I 
waited  on  him,  and  gave  him  the  letter.  He  thank'd  me  cor 
dially,  the  information  being  of  importance  to  him  ;  and  from 
that  time  he  became  my  friend,  greatly  to  my  advantage  after 
wards  on  many  occasions. 

But  what  shall  we  think  of  a  governor's  playing  such  pitiful 
tricks,  and  imposing  so  grossly  on  a  poor  ignorant  boy  !  It  was 
a  habit  he  had  acquired.  He  wish'd  to  please  everybody  ;  and, 
having  little  to  give,  he  gave  expectations.  He  was  otherwise 
an  ingenious,  sensible  man,  a  pretty  good  writer,  and  a  good 
governor  for  the  people,  tho'  not  for  his  constituents,  the  pro 
prietaries,  whose  instructions  he  sometimes  disregarded.  Sev- 


DISSERTATION 


ON 


Liberty  and  Necitffftjy, 

Rjj         "f  «v     i*  ' 

PLEASURE  and  P  A  i  NT. 


,  Whatever  if,  is  in  its  Caufes  jufl 
Since,  all  'Things  are  tj  Fate ;  but  purblind  Mart 
Sffs  but  a  fart  o'ttf  Chain,  the  nearett  Link, 
ffis  "Eyes  not  carrying  to  the  equal  Beam 
That  poifes  all  above. 

Dryd. 


LONTtpN: 
Prlntc4    in  the   Year   MDCCXXV 


TITLE-PAGE   OF    "  A   DISSERTATION    ON   LIBERTY   AND    NECESSITY, 
PLEASURE    AND    PAIN  " 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  43 

eral  of  our  best  laws  were  of  his  planning  and  passed  during 
his  administration. 

Ralph  and  I  were  inseparable  companions.  We  took  lodg 
ings  together  in  Little  Britain  at  three  shillings  and  sixpence 
a  week  —  as  much  as  we  could  then  afford.  He  found  some 
relations,  but  they  were  poor,  and  unable  to  assist  him.  He 
now  let  me  know  his  intentions  of  remaining  in  London,  and 
that  he  never  meant  to  return  to  Philadelphia.  He  had  brought 
no  money  with  him,  the  whole  he  could  muster  having  been 
expended  in  paying  his  passage.  I  had  fifteen  pistoles ;  so  he 
borrowed  occasionally  of  me  to  subsist,  while  he  was  looking 
out  for  business.  He  first  endeavored  to  get  into  the  playhouse, 
believing  himself  qualify'd  for  an  actor ;  but  Wilkes,  to  whom 
he  apply'd,  advis'd  him  candidly  not  to  think  of  that  employ 
ment,  as  it  was  impossible  he  should  succeed  in  it.  Then  he 
propos'd  to  Roberts,  a  publisher  in  Paternoster  Row,  to  write 
for  him  a  weekly  paper  like  the  Spectator,  on  certain  condi 
tions,  which  Roberts  did  not  approve.  Then  he  endeavored  to 
get  employment  as  a  hackney  writer,  to  copy  for  the  stationers 
and  lawyers  about  the  Temple,  but  could  find  no  vacancy. 

I  immediately  got  into  work  at  Palmer's,  then  a  famous 
printing-house  in  Bartholomew  Close,  and  here  I  continu'd 
near  a  year.  I  was  pretty  diligent,  but  spent  with  Ralph  a  good 
deal  of  my  earnings  in  going  to  plays  and  other  places  of 
amusement.  We  had  together  consumed  all  my  pistoles,  and 
now  just  rubbed  on  from  hand  to  mouth.  He  seem'd  quite  to 
forget  his  wife  and  child,  and  I,  by  degrees,  my  engagements 
with  Miss  Read,  to  whom  I  never  wrote  more  than  one  letter, 
and  that  was  to  let  her  know  I  was  not  likely  soon  to  return. 
This  was  another  of  the  great  errata  of  my  life,  which  I  should 
wish  to  correct  if  I  were  to  live  it  over  again.  In  fact,  by  our 
expenses,  I  was  constantly  kept  unable  to  pay  my  passage. 

At  Palmer's  I  was  employed  in  composing  for  the  second 
edition  of  Wollaston's  "  Religion  of  Nature."  Some  of  his 


44        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

reasonings  not  appearing  to  me  well  founded,  I  wrote  a  little 
metaphysical  piece  in  which  I  made  remarks  on  them.  It  was 
entitled  "A  Dissertation  on  Liberty  and  Necessity,  Pleasure 
and  Pain."  I  inscribed  it  to  my  friend  Ralph ;  I  printed  a 
small  number.  It  occasion' d  my  being  more  consider'd  by  Mr 
Palmer  as  a  young  man  of  some  ingenuity,  tho'  he  seriously 
expostulated  with  me  upon  the  principles  of  my  pamphlet, 
which  to  him  appear'd  abominable.  My  printing  this  pamphlet 
was  another  erratum.  While  I  lodg'd  in  Little  Britain,  I  made 
an  acquaintance  with  one  Wilcox,  a  bookseller,  whose  shop 
was  at  the  next  door.  He  had  an  immense  collection  of  second 
hand  books.  Circulating  libraries  were  not  then  in  use;  but 
we  agreed  that,  on  certain  reasonable  terms,  which  I  have  now 
forgotten,  I  might  take,  read,  and  return  any  of  his  books.  This 
I  esteem' d  a  great  advantage,  and  I  made  as  much  use  of  it  as 
I  could. 

My  pamphlet  by  some  means  falling  into  the  hands  of  one 
Lyons,  a  surgeon,  author  of  a  book  entitled  "  The  Infallibility 
of  Human  Judgment,"  it  occasioned  an  acquaintance  between 
us.  He  took  great  notice  of  me,  called  on  me  often  to  converse 
on  those  subjects,  carried  me  to  the  Horns,  a  pale  alehouse  in 

Lane,  Cheapside,  and  introduced  me  to  Dr  Mandeville, 

author  of  the  "  Fable  of  the  Bees,"  who  had  a  club  there,  of 
which  he  was  the  soul,  being  a  most  facetious,  entertaining 
companion.  Lyons,  too,  introduced  me  to  Dr  Pemberton,  at 
Batson's  Coffee-house,  who  promis'd  to  give  me  an  opportun 
ity,  some  time  or  other,  of  seeing  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  of  which 
I  was  extreamely  desirous  ;  but  this  never  happened. 

I  had  brought  over  a  few  curiosities,  among  which  the  prin 
cipal  was  a  purse  made  of  the  asbestos,  which  purifies  by  fire. 
Sir  Hans  Sloane  heard  of  it,  came  to  see  me,  and  invited  me  to 
his  house  in  Bloomsbury  Square,  where  he  show'd  me  all  his 
curiosities,  and  persuaded  me  to  let  him  add  that  to  the  num 
ber,  for  which  he  paid  me  handsomely. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  45 

In  our  house  there  lodg'd  a  young  woman,  a  milliner,  who, 
I  think,  had  a  shop  in  the  Cloisters.  She  had  been  genteelly 
bred,  was  sensible  and  lively,  and  of  most  pleasing  conversa 
tion.  Ralph  read  plays  to  her  in  the  evenings,  they  grew  inti 
mate,  she  took  another  lodging,  and  he  followed  her.  They 
liv'd  together  some  time ;  but,  he  being  still  out  of  business,  and 
her  income  not  sufficient  to  maintain  them  with  her  child,  he 
took  a  resolution  of  going  from  London,  to  try  for  a  country 
school,  which  he  thought  himself  well  qualified  to  undertake, 
as  he  wrote  an  excellent  hand,  and  was  a  master  of  arithmetic 
and  accounts.  This,  however,  he  deemed  a  business  below 
him,  and  confident  of  future  better  fortune,  when  he  should 
be  unwilling  to  have  it  known  that  he  once  was  so  meanly  em 
ployed,  he  changed  his  name,  and  did  me  the  honor  to  assume 
mine ;  for  I  soon  after  had  a  letter  from  him,  acquainting  me 
that  he  was  settled  in  a  small  village  (in  Berkshire,  I  think  it 
was,  where  he  taught  reading  and  writing  to  ten  or  a  dozen 

boys,  at  sixpence  each  per  week),  recommending  Mrs  T 

to  my  care,  and  desiring  me  to  write  to  him,  directing  for  Mr 
Franklin,  schoolmaster,  at  such  a  place. 

He  continued  to  write  frequently,  sending  me  large  speci 
mens  of  an  epic  poem  which  he  was  then  composing,  and 
desiring  my  remarks  and  corrections.  These  I  gave  him  from 
time  to  time,  but  endeavor' d  rather  to  discourage  his  proceed 
ing.  One  of  Young's  Satires  was  then  just  published.  I  copy'd 
and  sent  him  a  great  part  of  it,  which  set  in  a  strong  light  the 
folly  of  pursuing  the  Muses  with  any  hope  of  advancement  by 
them.  All  was  in  vain ;  sheets  of  the  poem  continued  to  come 

by  every  post.  In  the  mean  time,  Mrs  T ,  having  on  his 

account  lost  her  friends  and  business,  was  often  in  distresses,  and 
us'd  to  send  for  me,  and  borrow  what  I  could  spare  to  help  her 
out  of  them.  I  grew  fond  of  her  company,  and,  being  at  that 
time  under  no  religious  restraint,  and  presuming  upon  my 
importance  to  her,  I  attempted  familiarities  (another  erratum) 


46        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

which  she  repuls'd  with  a  proper  resentment,  and  acquainted 
him  with  my  behaviour.  This  made  a  breach  between  us ;  and, 
when  he  returned  again  to  London,  he  let  me  know  he  thought 
I  had  cancell'd  all  the  obligations  he  had  been  under  to  me. 
So  I  found  I  was  never  to  expect  his  repaying  me  what  I  lent 
to  him,  or  advanc'd  for  him.  This,  however,  was  not  then  of 
much  consequence,  as  he  was  totally  unable ;  and  in  the  loss  of 
his  friendship  I  found  myself  relieved  from  a  burthen.  I  now 
began  to  think  of  getting  a  little  money  beforehand,  and,  ex 
pecting  better  work,  I  left  Palmer's  to  work  at  Watts's,  near 
Lincoln's  Inn  Fields,  a  still  greater  printing-house.  Here  I  con 
tinued  all  the  rest  of  my  stay  in  London. 

At  my  first  admission  into  this  printing-house  I  took  to 
working  at  press,  imagining  I  felt  a  want  of  the  bodily  ex 
ercise  I  had  been  us'd  to  in  America,  where  press  work  is 
mix'd  with  composing.  I  drank  only  water;  the  other  work 
men,  near  fifty  in  number,  were  great  guzzlers  of  beer.  On 
occasion,  I  carried  up  and  down  stairs  a  large  form  of  types  in 
each  hand,  when  others  carried  but  one  in  both  hands.  They 
wondered  to  see,  from  this  and  several  instances,  that  the  Water- 
Americany  as  they  called  me,  was  stronger  than  themselves,  who 
drank  strong  beer !  We  had  an  alehouse  boy  who  attended 
always  in  the  house  to  supply  the  workmen.  My  companion 
at  the  press  drank  every  day  a  pint  before  breakfast,  a  pint  at 
breakfast  with  his  bread  and  cheese,  a  pint  between  breakfast 
and  dinner,  a  pint  at  dinner,  a  pint  in  the  afternoon  about  six 
o'clock,  and  another  when  he  had  done  his  day's  work.  I 
thought  it  a  detestable  custom ;  but  it  was  necessary,  he  sup- 
pos'd,  to  drink  strong  beer,  that  he  might  be  strong  to  labor.  I 
endeavored  to  convince  him  that  the  bodily  strength  afforded 
by  beer  could  only  be  in  proportion  to  the  grain  or  flour  of  the 
barley  dissolved  in  the  water  of  which  it  was  made;  that  there 
was  more  flour  in  a  pennyworth  of  bread;  and  therefore,  if  he 
would  eat  that  with  a  pint  of  water,  it  would  give  him  more 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  47 

strength  than  a  quart  of  beer.  He  drank  on,  however,  and  had 
four  or  five  shillings  to  pay  out  of  his  wages  every  Saturday 
for  that  muddling  liquor;  an  expense  I  was  free  from.  And 
thus  these  poor  devils  keep  themselves  always  under. 

Watts,  after  some  weeks,  desiring  to  have  me  in  the  composing- 
room,  I  left  the  pressmen;  a  new  bien  venu  or  sum  for  drink, 
being  five  shillings,  was  demanded  of  me  by  the  compositors. 
I  thought  it  an  imposition,  as  I  had  paid  below ;  the  master 
thought  so  too,  and  forbad  my  paying  it.  I  stood  out  two  or 
three  weeks,  was  accordingly  considered  as  an  excommunicate, 
and  had  so  many  little  pieces  of  private  mischief  done  me,  by 
mixing  my  sorts,  transposing  my  pages,  breaking  my  matter, 
etc.,  etc.,  if  I  were  ever  so  little  out  of  the  room,  and  all  ascribed 
to  the  chappel  ghost,  which  they  said  ever  haunted  those  not 
regularly  admitted,  that,  notwithstanding  the  master's  pro 
tection,  I  found  myself  oblig'd  to  comply  and  pay  the  money, 
convinc'd  of  the  folly  of  being  on  ill  terms  with  those  one  is  to 
live  with  continually. 

I  was  now  on  a  fair  footing  with  them,  and  soon  acquired 
considerable  influence.  I  propos'd  some  reasonable  alterations 
in  their  chappel  laws,  and  carried  them  against  all  opposition. 
From  my  example,  a  great  part  of  them  left  their  muddling 
breakfast  of  beer,  and  bread,  and  cheese,  finding  they  could  with 
me  be  supply 'd  from  a  neighboring  house  with  a  large  porringer 
of  hot  water-gruel,  sprinkled  with  pepper,  crumb'd  with  bread, 
and  a  bit  of  butter  in  it,  for  the  price  of  a  pint  of  beer,  viz.,  three 
half-pence.  This  was  a  more  comfortable  as  well  as  cheaper 
breakfast,  and  kept  their  heads  clearer.  Those  who  continued 
sotting  with  beer  all  day,  were  often,  by  not  paying,  out  of  credit 
at  the  alehouse,  and  us'd  to  make  interest  with  me  to  get  beer; 
their  light ,  as  they  phrased  it,  being  out.  I  watch' d  the  pay-table 
on  Saturday  night,  and  collected  what  I  stood  engag'd  for  them, 
having  to  pay  sometimes  near  thirty  shillings  a  week  on  their 
accounts.  This,  and  my  being  esteem 'd  a  pretty  good  riggite, 


48         THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

that  is,  a  jocular  verbal  satirist,  supported  my  consequence  in 
the  society.  My  constant  attendance  (I  never  making  a  St. 
Monday)  recommended  me  to  the  master;  and  my  uncommon 
quickness  at  composing  occasioned  my  being  put  upon  all  work 
of  dispatch,  which  was  generally  better  paid.  So  I  went  on  now 
very  agreeably. 

My  lodging  in  Little  Britain  being  too  remote,  I  found 
another  in  Duke-street,  opposite  to  the  Romish  Chapel.  It  was 
two  pair  of  stairs  backwards,  at  an  Italian  warehouse.  A  widow 
lady  kept  the  house;  she  had  a  daughter,  and  a  maid  servant, 
and  a  journeyman  who  attended  the  warehouse,  but  lodg'd 
abroad.  After  sending  to  inquire  my  character  at  the  house 
where  I  last  lodg'd  she  agreed  to  take  me  in  at  the  same  rate, 
3^.  6d.  per  week;  cheaper,  as  she  said,  from  the  protection  she 
expected  in  having  a  man  lodge  in  the  house.  She  was  a  widow, 
an  elderly  woman ;  had  been  bred  a  Protestant,  being  a  clergy 
man's  daughter,  but  was  converted  to  the  Catholic  religion  by 
her  husband,  whose  memory  she  much  revered ;  had  lived  much 
among  people  of  distinction,  and  knew  a  thousand  anecdotes 
of  them  as  far  back  as  the  times  of  Charles  the  Second.  She 
was  lame  in  her  knees  with  the  gout,  and,  therefore,  seldom 
stirred  out  of  her  room,  so  sometimes  wanted  company;  and 
hers  was  so  highly  amusing  to  me,  that  I  was  sure  to  spend  an 
evening  with  her  whenever  she  desired  it.  Our  supper  was  only 
half  an  anchovy  each,  on  a  very  little  strip  of  bread  and  butter, 
and  half  a  pint  of  ale  between  us ;  but  the  entertainment  was 
in  her  conversation .  My  always  keeping  good  hours,  and  giving 
little  trouble  in  the  family,  made  her  unwilling  to  part  with 
me;  so  that,  when  I  talk'd  of  a  lodging  I  had  heard  of,  nearer 
my  business,  for  two  shillings  a  week,  which,  intent  as  I  now 
was  on  saving  money,  made  some  difference,  she  bid  me  not 
think  of  it,  for  she  would  abate  me  two  shillings  a  week  for  the 
future;  so  I  remained  with  her  at  one  shilling  and  sixpence  as 
long  as  I  staid  in  London. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  49 

In  a  garret  of  her  house  there  lived  a  maiden  lady  of  seventy, 
in  the  most  retired  manner,  of  whom  my  landlady  gave  me  this 
account :  that  she  was  a  Roman  Catholic,  had  been  sent  abroad 
when  young,  and  lodg'd  in  a  nunnery  with  an  intent  of  becom 
ing  a  nun  ;  but,  the  country  not  agreeing  with  her,  she  returned 
to  England,  where,  there  being  no  nunnery,  she  had  vow'd  to 
lead  the  life  of  a  nun,  as  near  as  might  be  done  in  those  circum 
stances.  Accordingly,  she  had  given  all  her  estate  to  charitable 
uses,  reserving  only  twelve  pounds  a  year  to  live  on,  and  out  of 
this  sum  she  still  gave  a  great  deal  in  charity,  living  herself  on 
water-gruel  only,  and  using  no  fire  but  to  boil  it.  She  had  lived 
many  years  in  that  garret,  being  permitted  to  remain  there 
gratis  by  successive  Catholic  tenants  of  the  house  below,  as 
they  deemed  it  a  blessing  to  have  her  there.  A  priest  visited 
her  to  confess  her  every  day.  "I  have ask'd  her,"  says  my  land 
lady,  "  how  she,  as  she  liv'd,  could  possibly  find  so  much  em 
ployment  for  a  confessor  ? "  "  Oh,"  said  she,  "  it  is  impossible 
to  avoid  vain  thoughts!'  I  was  permitted  once  to  visit  her.  She 
was  chearful  and  polite,  and  conversed  pleasantly.  The  room 
was  clean,  but  had  no  other  furniture  than  a  matras,  a  table 
with  a  crucifix  and  book,  a  stool  which  she  gave  me  to  sit  on, 
and  a  picture  over  the  chimney  of  Saint  Veronica  displaying 
her  handkerchief,  with  the  miraculous  figure  of  Christ's  bleed 
ing  face  on  it,  which  she  explained  to  me  with  great  serious 
ness.  She  look'd  pale,  but  was  never  sick ;  and  I  give  it  as 
another  instance  on  how  small  an  income,  life  and  health  may 
be  supported. 

At  Watts's  printing-house  I  contracted  an  acquaintance  with 
an  ingenious  young  man,  one  Wygate,  who,  having  wealthy 
relations,  had  been  better  educated  than  most  printers  ;  was 
a  tolerable  Latinist,  spoke  French,  and  lov'd  reading.  I  taught 
him  and  a  friend  of  his  to  swim  at  twice  going  into  the  river, 
and  they  soon  became  good  swimmers.  They  introduc'd  me 
to  some  gentlemen  from  the  country,  who  went  to  Chelsea  by 


50        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

water  to  see  the  College  and  Don  Saltero's  curiosities.  In  our 
return,  at  the  request  of  the  company,  whose  curiosity  Wygate 
had  excited,  I  stripped  and  leaped  into  the  river,  and  swam 
from  near  Chelsea  to  Blackfryar's,  performing  on  the  way 
many  feats  of  activity,  both  upon  and  under  water,  that  sur- 
pris'd  and  pleas'd  those  to  whom  they  were  novelties. 

I  had  from  a  child  been  ever  delighted  with  this  exercise, 
had  studied  and  practis'd  all  Thevenot's  motions  and  positions, 
added  some  of  my  own,  aiming  at  the  graceful  and  easy  as  well 
as  the  useful.  All  these  I  took  this  occasion  of  exhibiting  to 
the  company,  and  was  much  flatter' d  by  their  admiration;  and 
Wygate,  who  was  desirous  of  becoming  a  master,  grew  more 
and  more  attach'd  to  me  on  that  account,  as  well  as  from  the 
similarity  of  our  studies.  He  at  length  proposed  to  me  travel 
ling  all  over  Europe  together,  supporting  ourselves  everywhere 
by  working  at  our  business.  I  was  once  inclined  to  it  ;  but, 
mentioning  it  to  my  good  friend  Mr  Denham,  with  whom 
I  often  spent  an  hour  when  I  had  leisure,  he  dissuaded  me  from 
it,  advising  me  to  think  only  of  returning  to  Pennsilvania, 
which  he  was  now  about  to  do. 

I  must  record  one  trait  of  this  good  man's  character.  He 
had  formerly  been  in  business  at  Bristol,  but  failed  in  debt  to 
a  number  of  people,  compounded  and  went  to  America.  There, 
by  a  close  application  to  business  as  a  merchant,  he  acquir'd 
a  plentiful  fortune  in  a  few  years.  Returning  to  England  in  the 
ship  with  me,  he  invited  his  old  creditors  to  an  entertainment, 
at  which  he  thank'd  them  for  the  easy  composition  they  had 
favored  him  with,  and,  when  they  expected  nothing  but  the 
treat,  every  man  at  the  first  remove  found  under  his  plate  an 
order  on  a  banker  for  the  full  amount  of  the  unpaid  remainder 
with  interest. 

He  now  told  me  he  was  about  to  return  to  Philadelphia,  and 
should  carry  over  a  great  quantity  of  goods  in  order  to  open 
a  store  there.  He  propos'd  to  take  me  over  as  his  clerk,  to  keep 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  51 

his  books,  in  which  he  would  instruct  me,  copy  his  letters, 
and  attend  the  store.  He  added,  that,  as  soon  as  I  should  be 
acquainted  with  mercantile  business,  he  would  promote  me  by 
sending  me  with  a  cargo  of  flour  and  bread,  etc.,  to  the  West 
Indies,  and  procure  me  commissions  from  others  which  would 
be  profitable;  and,  if  I  manag'd  well,  would  establish  me  hand 
somely.  The  thing  pleas'd  me;  for  I  was  grown  tired  of  Lon 
don,  remembered  with  pleasure  the  happy  months  I  had  spent 
in  Pennsylvania,  and  wish'd  again  to  see  it;  therefore  I  imme 
diately  agreed  on  the  terms  of  fifty  pounds  a  year,  Pennsylvania 
money ;  less,  indeed,  than  my  present  gettings  as  a  compositor, 
but  affording  a  better  prospect. 

I  now  took  leave  of  printing,  as  I  thought,  for  ever,  and  was 
daily  employed  in  my  new  business,  going  about  with  Mr 
Denham  among  the  tradesmen  to  purchase  various  articles,  and 
seeing  them  pack'd  up,  doing  errands,  calling  upon  workmen 
to  dispatch,  etc. ;  and,  when  all  was  on  board,  I  had  a  few  days' 
leisure.  On  one  of  these  days,  I  was,  to  my  surprise,  sent  for  by 
a  great  man  I  knew  only  by  name,  Sir  William  Wyndham,  and 
I  waited  upon  him.  He  had  heard  by  some  means  or  other  of 
my  swimming  from  Chelsea  to  Blackfriar's,  and  of  my  teach 
ing  Wygate  and  another  young  man  to  swim  in  a  few  hours. 
He  had  two  sons,  about  to  set  out  on  their  travels;  he  wish'd 
to  have  them  first  taught  swimming,  and  proposed  to  gratify 
me  handsomely  if  I  would  teach  them.  They  were  not  yet 
come  to  town,  and  my  stay  was  uncertain,  so  I  could  not  un 
dertake  it ;  but,  from  this  incident,  I  thought  it  likely  that,  if 
I  were  to  remain  in  England  and  open  a  swimming-school,  I 
might  get  a  good  deal  of  money ;  and  it  struck  me  so  strongly, 
that,  had  the  overture  been  sooner  made  me,  probably  I  should 
not  so  soon  have  returned  to  America.  After  many  years,  you 
and  I  had  something  of  more  importance  to  do  with  one  of  these 
sons  of  Sir  William  Wyndham,  become  Earl  of  Egremont, 
which  I  shall  mention  in  its  place. 

\  ' 


54        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

expectation  of  these  high  wages,  to  come  on  hereafter,  was 
what  he  had  drawn  them  in  with.  Meredith  was  to  work  at 
press,  Potts  at  book-binding,  which  he,  by  agreement,  was  to 
teach  them,  though  he  knew  neither  one  nor  t'other.  John 
,  a  wild  Irishman,  brought  up  to  no  business,  whose  serv 
ice,  for  four  years,  Keimer  had  purchased  from  the  captain  of 
a  ship  ;  he,  too,  was  to  be  made  a  pressman.  George  Webb, 
an  Oxford  scholar,  whose  time  for  four  years  he  had  likewise 
bought,  intending  him  for  a  compositor,  of  whom  more  pre 
sently  ;  and  David  Harry,  a  country  boy,  whom  he  had  taken 
apprentice. 

I  soon  perceiv'd  that  the  intention  of  engaging  me  at  wages 
so  much  higher  than  he  had  been  us'd  to  give,  was,  to  have  these 
raw,  cheap  hands  form'd  thro'  me;  and,  as  soon  as  I  had  in 
structed  them,  then  they  being  all  articled  to  him,  he  should 
be  able  to  do  without  me.  I  went  on,  however,  very  cheerfully, 
put  his  printing-house  in  order,  which  had  been  in  great  con 
fusion,  and  brought  his  hands  by  degrees  to  mind  their  business 
and  to  do  it  better. 

It  was  an  odd  thing  to  find  an  Oxford  scholar  in  the  situation 
of  a  bought  servant.  He  was  not  more  than  eighteen  years  of 
age,  and  gave  me  this  account  of  himself ;  that  he  was  born  in 
Gloucester,  educated  at  a  grammar-school  there,  had  been  dis 
tinguish' d  among  the  scholars  for  some  apparent  superiority  in 
performing  his  part,  when  they  exhibited  plays;  belong' d  to 
the  Witty  Club  there,  and  had  written  some  pieces  in  prose  and 
verse,  which  were  printed  in  the  Gloucester  newspapers ;  thence 
he  was  sent  to  Oxford ;  where  he  continued  about  a  year,  but 
not  well  satisfied,  wishing  of  all  things  to  see  London,  and  be 
come  a  player.  At  length,  receiving  his  quarterly  allowance  of 
fifteen  guineas,  instead  of  discharging  his  debts  he  walk'd  out 
of  town,  hid  his  gown  in  a  furze  bush,  and  footed  it  to  London, 
where,  having  no  friends  to  advise  him,  he  fell  into  bad  com 
pany,  soon  spent  his  guineas,  found  no  means  of  being  intro- 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  55 

duc'd  among  the  players,  grew  necessitous,  pawn'd  his  cloaths, 
and  wanted  bread.  Walking  the  street  very  hungry,  and  not 
knowing  what  to  do  with  himself,  a  crimp's  bill  was  put  into 
his  hand,  offering  immediate  entertainment  and  encourage 
ment  to  such  as  would  bind  themselves  to  serve  in  America.  He 
went  directly,  sign'd  the  indentures,  was  put  into  the  ship,  and 
came  over,  never  writing  a  line  to  acquaint  his  friends  what 
was  become  of  him.  He  was  lively,  witty,  good-natur'd,  and 
a  pleasant  companion,  but  idle,  thoughtless,  and  imprudent  to 
the  last  degree. 

John,  the  Irishman,  soon  ran  away;  with  the  rest  I  began  to 
live  very  agreeably,  for  they  all  respected  me  the  more,  as  they 
found  Keimer  incapable  of  instructing  them,  and  that  from 
me  they  learned  something  daily.  We  never  worked  on  Satur 
day,  that  being  Keimer's  Sabbath,  so  I  had  two  days  for  reading. 
My  acquaintance  with  ingenious  people  in  the  town  increased. 
Keimer  himself  treated  me  with  great  civility  and  apparent  re 
gard,  and  nothing  now  made  me  uneasy  but  my  debt  to  Vernon, 
which  I  was  yet  unable  to  pay,  being  hitherto  but  a  poor  oecono- 
mist.  He,  however,  kindly  made  no  demand  of  it. 

Our  printing-house  often  wanted  sorts,  and  there  was  no 
letter-founder  in  America  ;  I  had  seen  types  cast  at  James's  in 
London,  but  without  much  attention  to  the  manner;  however, 
I  now  contrived  a  mould,  made  use  of  the  letters  we  had  as 
puncheons,  struck  the  matrices  in  lead,  and  thus  supply'd  in 
a  pretty  tolerable  way  all  deficiencies.  I  also  engrav'd  several 
things  on  occasion  ;  I  made  the  ink ;  I  was  warehouseman, 
and  everything,  and,  in  short,  quite  a  fac-totum. 

But,  however  serviceable  I  might  be,  I  found  that  my  serv 
ices  became  every  day  of  less  importance,  as  the  other  hands 
improv'd  in  the  business  ;  and,  when  Keimer  paid  my  second 
quarter's  wages,  he  let  me  know  that  he  felt  them  too  heavy, 
and  thought  I  should  make  an  abatement.  He  grew  by  degrees 
less  civil,  put  on  more  of  the  master,  frequently  found  fault, 


THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

was  captious,  and  seem'd  ready  for  an  outbreaking.  I  went  on, 
nevertheless,  with  a  good  deal  of  patience,  thinking  that  his 
encumber'd  circumstances  were  partly  the  cause.  At  length  a 
trifle  snapt  our  connections  ;  for,  a  great  noise  happening  near 
the  court-house,  I  put  my  head  out  of  the  window  to  see  what 
was  the  matter.  Keimer,  being  in  the  street,  look'd  up  and 
saw  me,  call'd  out  to  me  in  a  loud  voice  and  angry  tone  to  mind 
my  business,  adding  some  reproachful  words,  that  nettled  me 
the  more  for  their  publicity,  all  the  neighbors  who  were  look 
ing  out  on  the  same  occasion  being  witnesses  how  I  was  treated. 
He  came  up  immediately  into  the  printing-house,  continu'd 
the  quarrel,  high  words  pass'd  on  both  sides,  he  gave  me  the 
quarter's  warning  we  had  stipulated,  expressing  a  wish  that  he 
had  not  been  oblig'd  to  so  long  a  warning.  I  told  him  his  wish 
was  unnecessary,  for  I  would  leave  him  that  instant ;  and  so, 
taking  my  hat,  walk'd  out  of  doors,  desiring  Meredith,  whom 
I  saw  below,  to  take  care  of  some  things  I  left,  and  bring  them 
to  my  lodgings. 

Meredith  came  accordingly  in  the  evening,  when  we  talked 
my  affair  over.  He  had  conceiv'd  a  great  regard  for  me,  and  was 
very  unwilling  that  I  should  leave  the  house  while  he  remain' d 
in  it.  He  dissuaded  me  from  returning  to  my  native  country, 
which  I  began  to  think  of;  he  reminded  me  that  Keimer  was  in 
debt  for  all  he  possess'd;  that  his  creditors  began  to  be  uneasy  ; 
that  he  kept  his  shop  miserably,  sold  often  without  profit  for 
ready  money,  and  often  trusted  without  keeping  accounts;  that 
he  must  therefore  fail,  which  would  make  a  vacancy  I  might 
profit  of.  I  objected  my  want  of  money.  He  then  let  me  know 
that  his  father  had  a  high  opinion  of  me,  and,  from  some  dis 
course  that  had  pass'd  between  them,  he  was  sure  would  advance 
money  to  set  us  up,  if  I  would  enter  into  partnership  with  him. 
"  My  time,"  says  he,  "  will  be  out  with  Keimer  in  the  spring ; 
by  that  time  we  may  have  our  press  and  types  in  from  London. 
I  am  sensible  I  am  no  workman;  if  you  like  it,  your  skill  in  the 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  57 

business  shall  be  set  against  the  stock  I  furnish,  and  we  will 
share  the  profits  equally." 

The  proposal  was  agreeable,  and  I  consented ;  his  father  was 
in  town  and  appro v'd  of  it ;  the  more  as  he  saw  I  had  great  in 
fluence  with  his  son,  had  prevail' d  on  him  to  abstain  long  from 
dram-drinking,  and  he  hop'd  might  break  him  offthat  wretched 
habit  entirely,  when  we  came  to  be  so  closely  connected.  I 
gave  an  inventory  to  the  father,  who  carry'd  it  to  a  merchant; 
the  things  were  sent  for,  the  secret  was  to  be  kept  till  they 
should  arrive,  and  in  the  mean  time  I  was  to  get  work,  if  I  could, 
at  the  other  printing-house.  But  I  found  no  vacancy  there,  and 
so  remain' d  idle  a  few  days,  when  Keimer,  on  a  prospect  of 
being  employ 'd  to  print  some  paper  money  in  New  Jersey, 
which  would  require  cuts  and  various  types  that  I  only  could 
supply,  and  apprehending  Bradford  might  engage  me  and  get 
the  job  from  him,sent  me  a  very  civil  message,  that  old  friends 
should  not  part  for  a  few  words,  the  effect  of  sudden  passion, 
and  wishing  me  to  return.  Meredith  persuaded  me  to  comply, 
as  it  would  give  more  opportunity  for  his  improvement  under 
my  daily  instructions ;  so  I  return' d,  and  we  went  on  more 
smoothly  than  for  some  time  before.  The  New  Jersey  jobb 
was  obtain' d,  I  contriv'd  a  copperplate  press  for  it,  the  first  that 
had  been  seen  in  the  country ;  I  cut  several  ornaments  and  checks 
for  the  bills.  We  went  together  to  Burlington,  where  I  exe 
cuted  the  whole  to  satisfaction ;  and  he  received  so  large  a  sum 
for  the  work  as  to  be  enabled  thereby  to  keep  his  head  much 
longer  above  water. 

At  Burlington  I  made  an  acquaintance  with  many  principal 
people  of  the  province.  Several  of  them  had  been  appointed 
by  the  Assembly  a  committee  to  attend  the  press,  and  take  care 
that  no  more  bills  were  printed  than  the  law  directed.  They 
were  therefore,  by  turns,  constantly  with  us,  and  generally  he 
who  attended,  brought  with  him  a  friend  or  two  for  company. 
My  mind  having  been  much  more  improv'd  by  reading  than 


THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

Keimer's,  I  suppose  it  was  for  that  reason  my  conversation 
seem'd  to  be  more  valu'd.  They  had  me  to  their  houses,  intro 
duced  me  to  their  friends,  and  show'd  me  much  civility;  while 
he,  tho'  the  master,  was  a  little  neglected.  In  truth,  he  was  an 
odd  fish;  ignorant  of  common  life,  fond  of  rudely  opposing 
receiv'd  opinions,  slovenly  to  extream  dirtiness,  enthusiastic  in 
some  points  of  religion,  and  a  little  knavish  withal. 

We  continu'd  there  near  three  months;  and  by  that  time  I 
could  reckon  among  my  acquired  friends,  Judge  Allen,  Samuel 
Bustill,  the  secretary  of  the  Province,  Isaac  Pearson,  Joseph 
Cooper,  and  several  of  the  Smiths,  members  of  Assembly,  and 
Isaac  Decow,  the  surveyor-general.  The  latter  was  a  shrewd, 
sagacious  old  man,  who  told  me  that  he  began  for  himself, 
when  young,  by  wheeling  clay  for  the  brickmakers,  learned  to 
write  after  he  was  of  age,  carri'd  the  chain  for  surveyors,  who 
taught  him  surveying,  and  he  had  now  by  his  industry,  acquir'd 
a  good  estate;  and  says  he,  "I  foresee  that  you  will  soon  work 
this  man  out  of  his  business,  and  make  a  fortune  in  it  at  Phila 
delphia."  He  had  not  then  the  least  intimation  of  my  intention 
to  set  up  there  or  anywhere.  These  friends  were  afterwards  of 
great  use  to  me,  as  I  occasionally  was  to  some  of  them.  They 
all  continued  their  regard  for  me  as  long  as  they  lived. 

Before  I  enter  upon  my  public  appearance  in  business,  it  may 
be  well  to  let  you  know  the  then  state  of  my  mind  with  regard 
to  my  principles  and  morals,  that  you  may  see  how  far  those 
influenc'd  the  future  events  of  my  life.  My  parents  had  early 
given  me  religious  impressions,  and  brought  me  through  my 
childhood  piously  in  the  Dissenting  way.  But  I  was  scarce 
fifteen,  when,  after  doubting  by  turns  of  several  points,  as  I 
found  them  disputed  in  the  different  books  I  read,  I  began  to 
doubt  of  Revelation  itself.  Some  books  against  Deism  fell  into 
my  hands;  they  were  said  to  be  the  substance  of  sermons 
preached  at  Boyle's  Lectures.  It  happened  that  they  wrought 
an  effect  on  me  quite  contrary  to  what  was  intended  by  them ; 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  59 

for  the  arguments  of  the  Deists,  which  were  quoted  to  be  re 
futed,  appeared  to  me  much  stronger  than  the  refutations ;  in 
short,  I  soon  became  a  thorough  Deist.  My  arguments  per 
verted  some  others,  particularly  Collins  and  Ralph;  but,  each 
of  them  having  afterwards  wrong' d  me  greatly  without  the 
least  compunction,  and  recollecting  Keith's  conduct  towards 
me  (who  was  another  freethinker),  and  my  own  towards  Ver- 
non  and  Miss  Read,  which  at  times  gave  me  great  trouble,  I 
began  to  suspect  that  this  doctrine,  tho'  it  might  be  true,  was 
not  very  useful.  My  London  pamphlet,  which  had  for  its 
motto  these  lines  of  Dryden  : 

"  Whatever  is,  is  right.    Though  purblind  man 
Sees  but  a  part  o'  the  chain,  the  nearest  link : 
His  eyes  not  carrying  to  the  equal  beam, 
That  poises  all  above  ;  " 

and  from  the  attributes  of  God,  his  infinite  wisdom,  goodness 
and  power,  concluded  that  nothing  could  possibly  be  wrong 
in  the  world,  and  that  vice  and  virtue  were  empty  distinctions, 
no  such  things  existing,  appear' d  now  not  so  clever  a  perform 
ance  as  I  once  thought  it;  and  I  doubted  whether  some  error 
had  not  insinuated  itself  unperceiv'd  into  my  argument,  so  as  to 
infect  all  that  folio w'd,  as  is  common  in  metaphysical  reason 
ings. 

I  grew  convinc'd  that  truth  y  sincerity  and  integrity  in  dealings 
between  man  and  man  were  of  the  utmost  importance  to  the 
felicity  of  life  ;  and  I  form'd  written  resolutions,  which  still 
remain  in  my  journal  book,  to  practice  them  ever  while  I  lived. 
Revelation  had  indeed  no  weight  with  me,  as  such ;  but  I  enter- 
tain'd  an  opinion  that,  though  certain  actions  might  not  be  bad 
because  they  were  forbidden  by  it,  or  good  because  it  commanded 
them,  yet  probably  these  actions  might  be  forbidden  because 
they  were  bad  for  us,  or  commanded  because  they  were  beneficial 
to  us,  in  their  own  natures,  all  the  circumstances  of  things  con 
sidered.  And  this  persuasion,  with  the  kind  hand  of  Providence, 


60        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

or  some  guardian  angel,  or  accidental  favorable  circumstances 
and  situations,  or  all  together,  preserved  me,  thro'  this  danger 
ous  time  of  youth,  and  the  hazardous  situations  I  was  some 
times  in  among  strangers,  remote  from  the  eye  and  advice  of 
my  father,  without  any  willful  gross  immorality  or  injustice, 
that  might  have  been  expected  from  my  want  of  religion.  I 
say  willful,  because  the  instances  I  have  mentioned  had  some 
thing  of  necessity  in  them,  from  my  youth,  inexperience,  and 
the  knavery  of  others.  I  had  therefore  a  tolerable  character  to 
begin  the  world,  with  ;  I  valued  it  properly,  and  determin'd  to 
preserve  it. 

We  had  not  been  long  return'd  to  Philadelphia  before  the 
new  types  arriv'd  from  London.  We  settled  with  Keimer,  and 
left  him  by  his  consent  before  he  heard  of  it.  We  found  a  house 
to  hire  near  the  market,  and  took  it.  To  lessen  the  rent,  which 
was  then  but  twenty-four  pounds  a  year,tho'  I  have  since  known 
it  to  let  for  seventy,  we  took  in  Thomas  Godfrey,  a  glazier,  and 
his  family,  who  were  to  pay  a  considerable  part  of  it  to  us,  and 
we  to  board  with  them.  We  had  scarce  opened  our  letters  and 
put  our  press  in  order,  before  George  House,  an  acquaintance 
of  mine,  brought  a  countryman  to  us,  whom  he  had  met  in  the 
street  inquiring  for  a  printer.  All  our  cash  was  now  expended 
in  the  variety  of  particulars  we  had  been  obliged  to  procure, 
and  this  countryman's  five  shillings,  being  our  first-fruits,  and 
coming  so  seasonably,  gave  me  more  pleasure  than  any  crown 
I  have  since  earned;  and  the  gratitude  I  felt  toward  House  has 
made  me  often  more  ready  than  perhaps  I  should  otherwise 
have  been  to  assist  young  beginners.  . 

There  are  croakers  in  every  country,  always  boding  its  ruin. 
Such  a  one  then  lived  in  Philadelphia ;  a  person  of  note,  an 
elderly  man,  with  a  wise  look  and  a  very  grave  manner  of  speak 
ing  ;  his  name  was  Samuel  Mickle.  This  gentleman,  a  stranger 
to  me,  stopt  one  day  at  my  door,  and  asked  me  if  I  was  the 
young  man  who  had  lately  opened  a  new  printing-house.  Being 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  61 

answered  in  the  affirmative,  he  said  he  was  sorry  for  me,  be 
cause  it  was  an  expensive  undertaking,  and  the  expense  would 
be  lost ;  for  Philadelphia  was  a  sinking  place,  the  people  already 
half-bankrupts,  or  near  being  so ;  all  appearances  to  the  con 
trary,  such  as  new  buildings  and  the  rise  of  rents,  being  to  his 
certain  knowledge  fallacious ;  for  they  were,  in  fact,  among  the 
things  that  would  soon  ruin  us.  And  he  gave  me  such  a  detail 
of  misfortunes  now  existing,  or  that  were  soon  to  exist,  that  he 
left  me  half  melancholy.  Had  I  known  him  before  I  engaged 
in  this  business,  probably  I  never  should  have  done  it.  This 
man  continued  to  live  in  this  decaying  place,  and  to  declaim  in 
the  same  strain,  refusing  for  many  years  to  buy  a  house  there, 
because  all  was  going  to  destruction ;  and  at  last  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  him  give  five  times  as  much  for  one  as  he 
might  have  bought  it  for  when  he  first  began  his  croaking. 

I  should  have  mentioned  before,  that,  in  the  autumn  of  the 
preceding  year,  I  had  form'd  most  of  my  ingenious  acquaint 
ance  into  a  club  of  mutual  improvement,  which  we  called  the 
JUNTO  ;  we  met  on  Friday  evenings.  The  rules  that  I  drew  up 
required  that  every  member,  in  his  turn,  should  produce  one 
or  more  queries  on  any  point  of  Morals,  Politics,  or  Natural 
Philosophy,  to  be  discuss'd  by  the  company;  and  once  in  three 
months  produce  and  read  an  essay  of  his  own  writing,  on  any 
subject  he  pleased.  Our  debates  were  to  be  under  the  direction 
of  a  president,  and  to  be  conducted  in  the  sincere  spirit  of 
inquiry  after  truth,  without  fondness  for  dispute,  or  desire  of 
victory;  and,  to  prevent  warmth,  all  expressions  of  positiveness 
in  opinions,  or  direct  contradiction,  were  after  some  time  made 
contraband,  and  prohibited  under  small  pecuniary  penalties. 

The  first  members  were  Joseph  Breintnal,  a  copyer  of  deeds 
for  the  scriveners,  a  good-natur'd,  friendly,  middle-ag'd  man, 
a  great  lover  of  poetry,  reading  all  he  could  meet  with,  and 
writing  some  that  was  tolerable  ;  very  ingenious  in  many  little 
Nicknackeries,  and  of  sensible  conversation. 


6z        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

Thomas  Godfrey,  a  self-taught  mathematician,  great  in  his 
way,  and  afterwards  inventor  of  what  is  now  called  Hadley's 
Quadrant.  But  he  knew  little  out  of  his  way,  and  was  not  a 
pleasing  companion ;  as,  like  most  great  mathematicians  I  have 
met  with,  he  expected  universal  precision  in  everything  said, 
or  was  for  ever  denying  or  distinguishing  upon  trifles,  to  the 
disturbance  of  all  conversation.  He  soon  left  us. 

Nicholas  Scull,  a  surveyor,  afterwards  surveyor-general,  who 
lov'd  books,  and  sometimes  made  a  few  verses. 

William  Parsons,  bred  a  shoemaker,  but,  loving  reading,  had 
acquir'd  a  considerable  share  of  mathematics,  which  he  first 
studied  with  a  view  to  astrology,  that  he  afterwards  laught  at 
it.  He  also  became  surveyor-general. 

William  Maugridge,  a  joiner,  a  most  exquisite  mechanic, 
and  a  solid,  sensible  man. 

Hugh  Meredith,  Stephen  Potts,  and  George  Webb  I  have 
characteriz*d  before. 

Robert  Grace,  a  young  gentleman  of  some  fortune,  generous, 
lively,  and  witty ;  a  lover  of  punning  and  of  his  friends. 

And  William  Coleman,  then  a  merchant's  clerk,  about  my 
age,  who  had  the  coolest,  clearest  head,  the  best  heart,  and  the 
exactest  morals  of  almost  any  man  I  ever  met  with.  He  became 
afterwards  a  merchant  of  great  note,  and  one  of  our  provincial 
judges.  Our  friendship  continued  without  interruption  to  his 
death,  upwards  of  forty  years  ;  and  the  club  continued  almost 
as  long,  and  was  the  best  school  of  philosophy,  morality,  and 
politics  that  then  existed  in  the  province ;  for  our  queries, 
which  were  read  the  week  preceding  their  discussion,  put  us 
upon  reading  with  attention  upon  the  several  subjects,  that  we 
might  speak  more  to  the  purpose ;  and  here,  too,  we  acquired 
better  habits  of  conversation,  every  thing  being  studied  in  our 
rules  which  might  prevent  our  disgusting  each  other.  From 
hence  the  long  continuance  of  the  club,  which  I  shall  have 
frequent  occasion  to  speak  further  of  hereafter. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  63 

But  my  giving  this  account  of  it  here  is  to  show  something 
of  the  interest  I  had,  every  one  of  these  exerting  themselves  in 
recommending  business  to  us.  Breintnal  particularly  procur'd 
us  from  the  Quakers  the  printing  forty  sheets  of  their  history, 
the  rest  being  to  be  done  by  Keimer ;  and  upon  this  we  work'd 
exceedingly  hard,  for  the  price  was  low.  It  was  a  folio,  pro 
patria  size,  in  pica,  with  long  primer  notes.  I  compos'd  of  it 
a  sheet  a  day,  and  Meredith  worked  it  off  at  press;  it  was  often 
eleven  at  night,  and  sometimes  later,  before  I  had  finished  my 
distribution  for  the  next  day's  work,  for  the  little  jobbs  sent  in 
by  our  other  friends  now  and  then  put  us  back.  But  so  deter- 
min'd  I  was  to  continue  doing  a  sheet  a  day  of  the  folio,  that 
one  night,  when,  having  impos'd  my  forms,  I  thought  my  day's 
work  over,  one  of  them  by  accident  was  broken,  and  two  pages 
reduced  to  pi,  I  immediately  distributed  and  compos'd  it  over 
again  before  I  went  to  bed;  and  this  industry,  visible  to  our 
neighbors,  began  to  give  us  character  and  credit;  particularly, 
I  was  told,  that  mention  being  made  of  the  new  printing-office 
at  the  merchants'  Every-night  club,  the  general  opinion  was 
that  it  must  fail,  there  being  already  two  printers  in  the  place, 
Keimer  and  Bradford ;  but  Dr  Baird  (whom  you  and  I  saw 
many  years  after  at  his  native  place,  St.  Andrew's  in  Scotland) 
gave  a  contrary  opinion :  "  For  the  industry  of  that  Franklin," 
says  he,  "  is  superior  to  any  thing  I  ever  saw  of  the  kind ;  I  see 
him  still  at  work  when  I  go  home  from  club,  and  he  is  at  work 
again  before  his  neighbors  are  out  of  bed."  This  struck  the  rest, 
and  we  soon  after  had  offers  from  one  of  them  to  supply  us 
with  stationery;  but  as  yet  we  did  not  chuse  to  engage  in  shop 
business. 

I  mention  this  industry  the  more  particularly  and  the  more 
freely,  tho'  it  seems  to  be  talking  in  my  own  praise,  that  those 
of  my  posterity,  who  shall  read  it,  may  know  the  use  of  that 
virtue,  when  they  see  its  effects  in  my  favour  throughout  this 
relation. 


64        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

George  Webb,  who  had  found  a  female  friend  that  lent  him 
wherewith  to  purchase  his  time  of  Keimer,  now  came  to  offer 
himself  as  a  journeyman  to  us.  We  could  not  then  employ 
him;  but  I  foolishly  let  him  know  as  a  secret  that  I  soon  in 
tended  to  begin  a  newspaper,  and  might  then  have  work  for  him. 
My  hopes  of  success,  as  I  told  him,  were  founded  on  this,  that 
the  then  only  newspaper,  printed  by  Bradford,  was  a  paltry 
thing,  wretchedly  manag'd,  no  way  entertaining,  and  yet  was 
profitable  to  him;  I  therefore  thought  a  good  paper  would 
scarcely  fail  of  good  encouragement.  I  requested  Webb  not 
to  mention  it ;  but  he  told  it  to  Keimer,  who  immediately,  to 
be  beforehand  with  me,  published  proposals  for  printing  one 
himself,  on  which  Webb  was  to  be  employ 'd.  I  resented  this; 
and,  to  counteract  them,  as  I  could  not  yet  begin  our  paper, 
I  wrote  several  pieces  of  entertainment  for  Bradford's  paper, 
under  the  title  of  the  BUSY  BODY,  which  Breintnal  continu'd 
some  months.  By  this  means  the  attention  of  the  publick  was 
fixed  on  that  paper,  and  Keimer's  proposals,  which  we  bur- 
lesqu'd  and  ridicul'd,  were  disregarded.  He  began  his  paper, 
however,  and,  after  carrying  it  on  three  quarters  of  a  year,  with 
at  most  only  ninety  subscribers,  he  offered  it  to  me  for  a  trifle ; 
and  I,  having  been  ready  some  time  to  go  on  with  it,  took  it  in 
hand  directly;  and  it  prov'd  in  a  few  years  extremely  profitable 
to  me. 

I  perceive  that  I  am  apt  to  speak  in  the  singular  number, 
though  our  partnership  still  continu'd;  the  reason  may  be  that, 
in  fact,  the  whole  management  of  the  business  lay  upon  me. 
Meredith  was  no  compositor,  a  poor  pressman,  and  seldom 
sober.  My  friends  lamented  my  connection  with  him,  but  I  was 
to  make  the  best  of  it. 

Our  first  papers  made  a  quite  different  appearance  from  any 
before  in  the  province ;  a  better  type,  and  better  printed ;  but 
some  spirited  remarks  of  my  writing,  on  the  dispute  then  going 
on  between  Governor  Burnet  and  the  Massachusetts  Assembly, 


Nutnl 


T  H  e 

Pennflvania  GAZETTE. 


Containing  the  frejlxft  Advices  Foreign  and  Dome  flick. 

,n  ThurWav,  September  :  v    t      ThurM.iy,  October  a.     i-*5>- 


rH  F.  V  •  I 

, 
' 

/,-.,,- 
. 
•fa!  Itiilnictor   in   all  An 

•  •/  this  '1'aper, 
. >:)'  Things 
aijir-ife  *r  in/'^ni>i'.aiit  to  us,    i; 

ni  be  gone  thro' 
There  art  like-  i 

vi ft  in    .-  i-ontin-i.i!   R • ''. T! -nc es  from\ 

Things  iin.ier 
tin.ler  anotht.   , 
and   are   jufu^/.'.w   n  ,-.;..;;;;  and 

iieft  taken   in 

jtars mjtuui  j  »»n  /»H»  »  »  riK...^  .«.».    - 

d(f,re  to  ,tcq-> :  •••tii'tlir 

jUrt  or  Siie'b 
fore  them  :/. 

Rollers  ::.'//  ;/''.'  !>  ink  /k  I.OIUHIU- 

iitcattn*  A'/;v^  '--./jf  /"  As  ./  /ii-'i/).-r  O/^'. 

However    :>  .iitemi  to  continue  the 

<Pn/j/!Cfitiuit -of  the,]:  Difttonafics  ill  a  regular 
jHplabeticQl  Method,  as  has  hitherto  been  done ; 
yet  as  frvera!  Things  exhibited  from  than  tit  tit 
,"fr.f,  /..;-<•  iten  c/;!crtainw£ 
to  fccl'  a,  who  Htvtr  I.  .i<l  an.i  can 

not  /•..•  •'  ;    ,iw./ 

as  there  (n\-  niaiit  Thing .(  //;.'/  behind,  which  be 
ing  in  this  Manner  na.ic  Centrally  known,  may 
perhaps  icco/nc  if  '<•.•  ^ngfuch 

Hin!s  to  th:  excellent  natural  Genius's  of  our 
Ctnntfy,  as  m.iy  contribute  either  to  the  Im~ 
provciHtnt  of  our  prefect  Maiiufaflures,  or  to- 
tvards  the  Imei;tion  rf  new  Outs  ;  -ate  prop'fe 
from  TJMt  to  Taut  to  communicate  ftich  particu 
lar  'Parti  as  appear  to  be  of  the  wrjl  general 
Confeqnt»;t. 


.in  mtiny  who  l.rjt  /     ;   Irtre.l  : 
i    imfyh  miiu  :. 
rri  iibie,  viiU  contribute  to- 
•  nick.    We  ask  JJrftance, 

,     //..;/   to  /)•.- 

.-,-'/'  </)«r   is  net  fa  c.tfy  an  l:u:i<rt*luti£ 

.is  n,iny  </V:/>,V  ini.igiiii  it  to  be.     Tie  /lather  of 

.;G«cttc  (in  the  Opinion  of  the  Learner 

to  It  tja  i!:?ic.i  with  n  H  txteuji^t    Acqu^mt.iiKt 

.linages,  a  %re.it  F^i/niefs  and  Command 

f  an:l  Relating  Things  dtanlj  and  i/i- 

:  be  abit 

'•   'j.dl 

PriHCts 

' 
i 

;':    ;/;  tits  r 

/,      ;;,/,':   ,,     ,.'.''•     ^  i-tl  if   the   fh-itc, 
' 


ViL 


. 

./A  to  the  Religious  Ccurriliip,  'Part  ef 
icb-has  Ittu  retai'J  to  tbi  'Publick  iu  tbi/i 

afers;,  the  Reader  may  be  inform'd,  that  tin 
•xbdt  fofok  a'///  probably  iu  a  littlt  Ttmt  be 
frii.'tei  and  boiniii  tip  by  faff  If,  and  theft  vibo 
rtppr  '.•(  rf  ;,'t  a,///  dtuktltCs  be  better  fleas'.  i  to 
*-5jf  it\iittrey  than  in  this  broken  inHrrupte.l 
Man 


, 
>'j  tbefe  -P.ipcrj,  tt  :tl.i  Make  up  iiwoiigbis  l-'ricti.is 

a:  is  .i.iiitu;%  in  1'iMjelf. 

Ipnn  tt*  H'hf/e,  y/t  Huy  affnre  tl.c  Twitch, 
//./.'  .-;•  far  as  the  Encouragement  we  tnett  'i.<.:b 
will  enable  «J,  tio  Care  and  Pains  [bait  be  o,ut- 
te.i,  that  may  make  the  Pcnnfyhania  Gazette 
as  a^reeal'ie  au.i  nfeftil  an  Entertainment  as  the 
Nat  ire  of  the  Thing  Kill  alk*. 


The  Following  is  the  lait  MciFagc  (cm  by 
hs  Excellency  Governour  Burner,  to  the 
I-Ioult;  of  Rcprelcntathcs  in  Bo/t<,n. 


Ct'.tlemm  if  tit  Haft 

TT  is  not  with  fo  v»m  »  Hope  as  to  convince  you,  that 
I  take  tlic  Trouble  to  anfwer  your  MeQ»?es,  hut.  it 
pofliHe  to  open  the  Eyes  of  the  deluded  People  whum 
you  eprefcm,  a«»  whom  you  are  »t  fo  much  Pains  to  keep 
in  Iporance  of  ihc  true  State  of  their  Aftau<  I  need  not 
ro  fnher  for  an  umkutjble  Proof  of  this  Endnvour  to 
blin^  them,  rhnn  vour  orderine  thr  Letter  ot  Meffieuu 
WOi  and  ftklrr  of  the  -th  of  f«n,  laft  »  your  Spe«ker  to 
he  piblilhcd.  This  Letter  is  laid  (in',/V«  i.  of  your 
VoS)  to  Miff  C&  4  »*  R'P°*t  1'  0*  l?*><ftt*C,m- 
matafM,  Mfjtfft  Prim  Cm*'*  «-••*  *•  #>??*'  J^~ 
tr+*i*im*IOT*ttl,T~*  IK  a>n.-il  ,  Yet  theft  (jiemlemen 
had  at  the  lame  timr  the  .mparalkU'd  P«*«P'7  » 
»TIK  to  the  Speaker  ir  t!.U  Manner  ;  ?«f  */"«  *'  *• 
CW.V/SwS  «•''•''  "  ywpsM  'e  fc-  tt*  Cimfrmnrf  1  »«•'  <•"  <•»• 
fl,mSwi<b  H,.  it  '""  »* 


THE    PENNSYLVANIA    GAZETTE,    OCTOBER    2,    1729 
The  first  number  fittbliifhed  bij  Benjamin  Franklin 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  65 

struck  the  principal  people,  occasioned  the  paper  and  the  mana 
ger  of  it  to  be  much  talk'd  of,  and  in  a  few  weeks  brought  them 
all  to  be  our  subscribers. 

Their  example  was  follow'd  by  many,  and  our  number  went 
on  growing  continually.  This  was  one  of  the  first  good  effects 
of  my  having  learnt  a  little  to  scribble;  another  was,  that  the 
leading  men,  seeing  a  newspaper  now  in  the  hands  of  one  who 
could  also  handle  a  pen,  thought  it  convenient  to  oblige  and 
encourage  me.  Bradford  still  printed  the  votes,  and  laws,  and 
other  publick  business.  He  had  printed  an  address  of  the  House 
to  the  governor,  in  a  coarse,  blundering  manner ;  we  reprinted 
it  elegantly  and  correctly,  and  sent  one  to  every  member.  They 
were  sensible  of  the  difference :  it  strengthened  the  hands  of 
our  friends  in  the  House,  and  they  voted  us  their  printers  for 
the  year  ensuing. 

Among  my  friends  in  the  House  I  must  not  forget  Mr  Ham 
ilton,  before  mentioned,  who  was  then  returned  from  England, 
and  had  a  seat  in  it.  He  interested  himself  for  me  strongly  in 
that  instance,  as  he  did  in  many  others  afterward,  continuing 
his  patronage  till  his  death.1 

Mr  Vernon,  about  this  time,  put  me  in  mind  of  the  debt  I 
ow'd  him,  but  did  not  press  me.  I  wrote  him  an  ingenuous 
letter  of  acknowledgment,  crav'd  his  forbearance  a  little  longer, 
which  he  allow'd  me,  and  as  soon  as  I  was  able,  I  paid  the  prin 
cipal  with  interest,  and  many  thanks;  so  that  erratum  was  in 
some  degree  corrected. 

But  now  another  difficulty  came  upon  me  which  I  had  never 
the  least  reason  to  expect.  Mr  Meredith's  father,  who  was  to 
have  paid  for  our  printing-house,  according  to  the  expectations 
given  me,  was  able  to  advance  only  one  hundred  pounds  curren 
cy,  which  had  been  paid ;  and  a  hundred  more  was  due  to  the 
merchant,  who  grew  impatient,  and  su'd  us  all.  We  gave  bail, 
but  saw  that,  if  the  money  could  not  be  rais'd  in  time,  the  suit 

1  I  got  his  son  once  ^500.  —  Marg.  note. 


66        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

must  soon  come  to  a  judgment  and  execution,  and  our  hopeful 
prospects  must,  with  us,  be  ruined,  as  the  press  and  letters  must 
be  sold  for  payment,  perhaps  at  half  price. 

In  this  distress  two  true  friends,  whose  kindness  I  have  never 
forgotten,  nor  ever  shall  forget  while  I  can  remember  any  thing, 
came  to  me  separately,  unknown  to  each  other,  and,  without  any 
application  from  me,  offering  each  of  them  to  advance  me  all 
the  money  that  should  be  necessary  to  enable  me  to  take  the 
whole  business  upon  myself,  if  that  should  be  practicable ;  but 
they  did  not  like  my  continuing  the  partnership  with  Meredith, 
who,  as  they  said,  was  often  seen  drunk  in  the  streets,  and  play 
ing  at  low  games  in  alehouses,  much  to  our  discredit.  These 
two  friends  were  William  Coleman  and  Robert  Grace.  I  told 
them  I  could  not  propose  a  separation  while  any  prospect  re- 
main'd  of  the  Merediths'  fulfilling  their  part  of  our  agreement, 
because  I  thought  myself  under  great  obligations  to  them  for 
what  they  had  done,  and  would  do  if  they  could ;  but,  if  they 
finally  fail'd  in  their  performance,  and  our  partnership  must  be 
dissolv'd,  I  should  then  think  myself  at  liberty  to  accept  the 
assistance  of  my  friends. 

Thus  the  matter  rested  for  some  time,  when  I  said  to  my 
partner,  "  Perhaps  your  father  is  dissatisfied  at  the  part  you  have 
undertaken  in  this  affair  of  ours,  and  is  unwilling  to  advance  for 
you  and  me  what  he  would  for  you  alone.  If  that  is  the  case, 
tell  me,  and  I  will  resign  the  whole  to  you,  and  go  about  my 
business."  "No/*  said  he,  "my  father  has  really  been  disap 
pointed,  and  is  really  unable ;  and  I  am  unwilling  to  distress 
him  farther.  I  see  this  is  a  business  I  am  not  fit  for.  I  was  bred 
a  farmer,  and  it  was  a  folly  in  me  to  come  to  town,  and  put 
myself,  at  thirty  years  of  age,  an  apprentice  to  learn  a  new 
trade.  Many  of  our  Welsh  people  are  going  to  settle  in  North 
Carolina,  where  land  is  cheap.  I  am  inclin'd  to  go  with  them, 
and  follow  my  old  employment.  You  may  find  friends  to 
assist  you.  If  you  will  take  the  debts  of  the  company  upon  you; 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  67 

return  to  my  father  the  hundred  pound  he  has  advanced ;  pay 
my  little  personal  debts,  and  give  me  thirty  pounds  and  a  new 
saddle,  I  will  relinquish  the  partnership,  and  leave  the  whole 
in  your  hands."  I  agreed  to  this  proposal:  it  was  drawn  up  in 
writing,  sign'd,  and  seal'd  immediately.  I  gave  him  what  he 
demanded,  and  he  went  soon  after  to  Carolina,  from  whence 
he  sent  me  next  year  two  long  letters,  containing  the  best  ac 
count  that  had  been  given  of  that  country,  the  climate,  the  soil, 
husbandry,  etc.,  for  in  those  matters  he  was  very  judicious.  I 
printed  them  in  the  papers,  and  they  gave  great  satisfaction  to 
the  publick. 

As  soon  as  he  was  gone,  I  recurr'd  to  my  two  friends ;  and 
because  I  would  not  give  an  unkind  preference  to  either,  I  took 
half  of  what  each  had  offered  and  I  wanted  of  one,  and  half  of 
the  other;  paid  off  the  company's  debts,  and  went  on  with  the 
business  in  my  own  name,  advertising  that  the  partnership  was 
dissolved.  I  think  this  was  in  or  about  the  year  1729. 

About  this  time  there  was  a  cry  among  the  people  for  more 
paper  money,  only  fifteen  thousand  pounds  being  extant  in  the 
province,  and  that  soon  to  be  sunk.  The  wealthy  inhabitants 
oppos'd  any  addition,  being  against  all  paper  currency,  from  an 
apprehension  that  it  would  depreciate,  as  it  had  done  in  New 
England,  to  the  prejudice  of  all  creditors.  We  had  discuss' d 
this  point  in  our  Junto,  where  I  was  on  the  side  of  an  addition, 
being  persuaded  that  the  first  small  sum  struck  in  1723  had 
done  much  good  by  increasing  the  trade,  employment,  and 
number  of  inhabitants  in  the  province,  since  I  now  saw  all  the 
old  houses  inhabited,  and  many  new  ones  building:  whereas 
I  remembered  well,  that  when  I  first  walk'd  about  the  streets 
of  Philadelphia,  eating  my  roll,  I  saw  most  of  the  houses  in 
Walnut  Street,  between  Second  and  Front  streets,  with  bills  on 
their  doors,  "To  be  let ;"  and  many  likewise  in  Chestnut-street 
and  other  streets,  which  made  me  then  think  the  inhabitants 
of  the  city  were  deserting  it  one  after  another. 


68        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

Our  debates  possess'd  me  so  fully  of  the  subject,  that  I  wrote 
and  printed  an  anonymous  pamphlet  on  it,  entitled  "¥ he  Nature 
and  Necessity  of  a  Paper  Currency."  It  was  well  receiv'd  by  the 
common  people  in  general;  but  the  rich  men  dislik'd  it,  for  it 
increas'd  and  strengthen'd  the  clamor  for  more  money,  and 
they  happening  to  have  no  writers  among  them  that  were  able 
to  answer  it,  their  opposition  slacken' d,  and  the  point  was  car 
ried  by  a  majority  in  the  House.  My  friends  there,  who  con- 
ceiv'd  I  had  been  of  some  service,  thought  fit  to  reward  me  by 
employing  me  in  printing  the  money;  a  very  profitable  jobb  and 
a  great  help  to  me.  This  was  another  advantage  gain'd  by  my 
being  able  to  write. 

The  utility  of  this  currency  became  by  time  and  experience 
so  evident  as  never  afterwards  to  be  much  disputed;  so  that  it 
grew  soon  to  fifty-five  thousand  pounds,  and  in  1 739  to  eighty 
thousand  pounds,  since  which  it  arose  during  war  to  upwards 
of  three  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  pounds,  trade,  building, 
and  inhabitants  all  the  while  increasing,  tho'  I  now  think  there 
are  limits  beyond  which  the  quantity  may  be  hurtful. 

I  soon  after  obtain' d,  thro'  my  friend  Hamilton,  the  printing 
of  the  Newcastle  paper  money,  another  profitable  jobb  as  I 
then  thought  it;  small  things  appearing  great  to  those  in  small 
circumstances;  and  these,  to  me,  were  really  great  advantages, 
as  they  were  great  encouragements.  He  procured  for  me,  also, 
the  printing  of  the  laws  and  votes  of  that  government,  which 
continu'd  in  my  hands  as  long  as  I  follow'd  the  business. 

I  now  open'd  a  little  stationer's  shop.  I  had  in  it  blanks  of 
all  sorts,  the  correctest  that  ever  appear'd  among  us,  being  as 
sisted  in  that  by  my  friend  Breintnal.  I  had  also  paper,  parch 
ment,  chapmen's  books,  etc.  One  Whitemarsh,  a  compositor 
I  had  known  in  London,  an  excellent  workman,  now  came  to 
me,  and  work' d  with  me  constantly  and  diligently;  and  I  took 
an  apprentice,  the  son  of  Aquila  Rose. 

I  began  now  gradually  to  pay  off  the  debt  I  was  under  for 


DISSOLUTION    OF    THE    FIRM    OF    BENJAMIN    FRANKLIN   AND    HUGH    MEREDITH 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  69 

the  printing-house.  In  order  to  secure  my  credit  and  character 
as  a  tradesman,  I  took  care  not  only  to  be  in  reality  industrious 
and  frugal,  but  to  avoid  all  appearances  to  the  contrary.  I  drest 
plainly ;  I  was  seen  at  no  places  of  idle  diversion.  I  never  went 
out  a  fishing  or  shooting;  a  book,  indeed,  sometimes  debauch'd 
me  from  my  work,  but  that  was  seldom,  snug,  and  gave  no 
scandal ;  and,  to  show  that  I  was  not  above  my  business,  I  some 
times  brought  home  the  paper  I  purchas'd  at  the  stores  thro* 
the  streets  on  a  wheelbarrow.  Thus  being  esteem'd  an  indus 
trious,  thriving  young  man,  and  paying  duly  for  what  I  bought, 
the  merchants  who  imported  stationery  solicited  my  custom; 
others  proposed  supplying  me  with  books,  and  I  went  on  swim 
mingly.  In  the  mean  time,  Keimer's  credit  and  business  de 
clining  daily,  he  was  at  last  forc'd  to  sell  his  printing-house  to 
satisfy  his  creditors.  He  went  to  Barbadoes,  and  there  lived 
some  years  in  very  poor  circumstances. 

His  apprentice,  David  Harry,  whom  I  had  instructed  while 
I  work'd  with  him,  set  up  in  his  place  at  Philadelphia,  having 
bought  his  materials.  I  was  at  first  apprehensive  of  a  powerful 
rival  in  Harry,  as  his  friends  were  very  able,  and  had  a  good  deal 
of  interest.  I  therefore  propos'd  a  partnership  to  him,  which 
he,  fortunately  for  me,  rejected  with  scorn.  He  was  very  proud, 
dress' d  like  a  gentleman,  liv'd  expensively,  took  much  diver 
sion  and  pleasure  abroad,  ran  in  debt,  and  neglected  his  business; 
upon  which,  all  business  left  him ;  and,  finding  nothing  to  do, 
he  followed  Keimer  to  Barbadoes,  taking  the  printing-house 
with  him.  There  this  apprentice  employ'd  his  former  master 
as  a  journeyman;  they  quarr  el' d  often;  Harry  went  continually 
behindhand,  and  at  length  was  forc'd  to  sell  his  types  and 
return  to  his  country  work  in  Pensilvania.  The  person  that 
bought  them  employ'd  Keimer  to  use  them,  but  in  a  few  years 
he  died. 

There  remained  now  no  competitor  with  me  at  Philadelphia 
but  the  old  one,  Bradford;  who  was  rich  and  easy,  did  a  little 


70        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

printing  now  and  then  by  straggling  hands,  but  was  not  very 
anxious  about  the  business.  However,  as  he  kept  the  post- 
office,  it  was  imagined  he  had  better  opportunities  of  obtaining 
news;  his  paper  was  thought  a  better  distributer  of  advertise 
ments  than  mine,  and  therefore  had  many  more,  which  was 
a  profitable  thing  to  him,  and  a  disadvantage  to  me;  for,  tho'  I 
did  indeed  receive  and  send  papers  by  the  post,  yet  the  publick 
opinion  was  otherwise,  for  what  I  did  send  was  by  bribing  the 
riders,  who  took  them  privately,  Bradford  being  unkind  enough 
to  forbid  it,  which  occasion' d  some  resentment  on  my  part ; 
and  I  thought  so  meanly  of  him  for  it,  that,  when  I  afterward 
came  into  his  situation,  I  took  care  never  to  imitate  it. 

I  had  hitherto  continu'd  to  board  with  Godfrey,  who  lived 
in  part  of  my  house  with  his  wife  and  children,  and  had  one 
side  of  the  shop  for  his  glazier's  business,  tho'  he  worked  little, 
being  always  absorbed  in  his  mathematics.  Mrs  Godfrey  pro 
jected  a  match  for  me  with  a  relation's  daughter,  took  oppor 
tunities  of  bringing  us  often  together,  till  a  serious  courtship 
on  my  part  ensu'd,  the  girl  being  in  herself  very  deserving.  The 
old  folks  encourag'd  me  by  continual  invitations  to  supper,  and 
by  leaving  us  together,  till  at  length  it  was  time  to  explain. 
Mrs  Godfrey  manag'd  our  little  treaty.  I  let  her  know  that 
I  expected  as  much  money  with  their  daughter  as  would  pay 
off  my  remaining  debt  for  the  printing-house,  which  I  be 
lieve  was  not  then  above  a  hundred  pounds.  She  brought  me 
word  they  had  no  such  sum  to  spare;  I  said  they  might  mort 
gage  their  house  in  the  loan-office.  The  answer  to  this,  after 
some  days,  was,  that  they  did  not  approve  the  match;  that, 
on  inquiry  of  Bradford,  they  had  been  informed  the  printing 
business  was  not  a  profitable  one;  the  types  would  soon  be 
worn  out,  and  more  wanted ;  that  S.  Keimer  and  D.  Harry 
had  failed  one  after  the  other,  and  I  should  probably  soon  fol 
low  them ;  and,  therefore,  I  was  forbidden  the  house,  and  the 
daughter  shut  up. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  71 

Whether  this  was  a  real  change  of  sentiment  or  only  artifice, 
on  a  supposition  of  our  being  too  far  engaged  in  affection  to 
retract,  and  therefore  that  we  should  steal  a  marriage,  which 
would  leave  them  at  liberty  to  give  or  withhold  what  they 
pleas'd,  I  know  not;  but  I  suspected  the  latter,  resented  it,  and 
went  no  more.  Mrs  Godfrey  brought  me  afterward  some  more 
favorable  accounts  of  their  disposition,  and  would  have  drawn 
me  on  again;  but  I  declared  absolutely  my  resolution  to  have 
nothing  more  to  do  with  that  family.  This  was  resented  by  the 
Godfreys ;  we  differ' d,  and  they  removed,  leaving  me  the  whole 
house,  and  I  resolved  to  take  no  more  inmates. 

But  this  affair  having  turned  my  thoughts  to  marriage,  I 
look'd  round  me  and  made  overtures  of  acquaintance  in  other 
places;  but  soon  found  that,  the  business  of  a  printer  being 
generally  thought  a  poor  one,  I  was  not  to  expect  money  with 
a  wife,  unless  with  such  a  one  as  I  should  not  otherwise  think 
agreeable.  In  the  mean  time,  that  hard-to-be-governed  passion 
of  youth  hurried  me  frequently  into  intrigues  with  low  women 
that  fell  in  my  way,  which  were  attended  with  some  expense  and 
great  inconvenience,  besides  a  continual  risque  to  my  health 
by  a  distemper  which  of  all  things  I  dreaded,  though  by  great 
good  luck  I  escaped  it.  A  friendly  correspondence  as  neighbors 
and  old  acquaintances  had  continued  between  me  and  Mrs 
Read's  family,  who  all  had  a  regard  for  me  from  the  time  of 
my  first  lodging  in  their  house.  I  was  often  invited  there  and 
consulted  in  their  affairs,  wherein  I  sometimes  was  of  service. 
I  piti'd  poor  Miss  Read's  unfortunate  situation,  who  was  gen 
erally  dejected,  seldom  cheerful,  and  avoided  company.  I  con 
sidered  my  giddiness  and  inconstancy  when  in  London  as  in  a 
great  degree  the  cause  of  her  unhappiness,  tho'  the  mother  was 
good  enough  to  think  the  fault  more  her  own  than  mine,  as  she 
had  prevented  our  marrying  before  I  went  thither,  and  per 
suaded  the  other  match  in  my  absence.  Our  mutual  affection 
was  revived,  but  there  were  now  great  objections  to  our  union* 


72,        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

The  match  was  indeed  looked  upon  as  invalid,  a  preceding 
wife  being  said  to  be  living  in  England ;  but  this  could  not 
easily  be  prov'd,  because  of  the  distance ;  and,  tho'  there  was 
a  report  of  his  death,  it  was  not  certain.  Then,  tho'  it  should 
be  true,  he  had  left  many  debts,  which  his  successor  might  be 
call'd  upon  to  pay.  We  ventured,  however,  over  all  these  diffi 
culties,  and  I  took  her  to  wife,  September  ist,  1730.  None  of 
the  inconveniences  happened  that  we  had  apprehended;  she 
proved  a  good  and  faithful  helpmate,  assisted  me  much  by  at 
tending  the  shop ;  we  throve  together,  and  have  ever  mutually 
endeavor'd  to  make  each  other  happy.  Thus  I  corrected  that 
great  erratum  as  well  as  I  could. 

About  this  time,  our  club  meeting,  not  at  a  tavern,  but  in  a 
little  room  of  Mr  Grace's,  set  apart  for  that  purpose,  a  propo 
sition  was  made  by  me,  that,  since  our  books  were  often  referr'd 
to  in  our  disquisitions  upon  the  queries,  it  might  be  convenient 
to  us  to  have  them  altogether  where  we  met,  that  upon  occa 
sion  they  might  be  consulted  ;  and  by  thus  clubbing  our  books 
to  a  common  library,  we  should,  while  we  lik'd  to  keep  them 
together,  have  each  of  us  the  advantage  of  using  the  books  of 
all  the  other  members,  which  would  be  nearly  as  beneficial  as 
if  each  owned  the  whole.  It  was  lik'd  and  agreed  to,  and  we 
fill'd  one  end  of  the  room  with  such  books  as  we  could  best 
spare.  The  number  was  not  so  great  as  we  expected  ;  and  tho' 
they  had  been  of  great  use,  yet  some  inconveniences  occurring 
for  want  of  due  care  of  them,  the  collection,  after  about  a  year, 
was  separated,  and  each  took  his  books  home  again. 

And  now  I  set  on  foot  my  first  project  of  a  public  nature, 
that  for  a  subscription  library.  I  drew  up  the  proposals,  got 
them  put  into  form  by  our  great  scrivener,  Brockden,  and,  by 
the  help  of  my  friends  in  the  Junto,  procured  fifty  subscribers 
of  forty  shillings  each  to  begin  with,  and  ten  shillings  a  year  for 
fifty  years,  the  term  our  company  was  to  continue.  We  after 
wards  obtain'd  a  charter,  the  company  being  increased  to  one 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  73 

hundred :  this  was  the  mother  of  all  the  North  American  sub 
scription  libraries,  now  so  numerous.  It  is  become  a  great  thing 
itself,  and  continually  increasing.  These  libraries  have  im 
proved  the  general  conversation  of  the  Americans,  made  the 
common  tradesmen  and  farmers  as  intelligent  as  most  gentle 
men  from  other  countries,  and  perhaps  have  contributed  in  some 
degree  to  the  stand  so  generally  made  throughout  the  colonies 
in  defence  of  their  privileges. 

Memo.  Thus  far  was  written  with  the  intention  express' d 
in  the  beginning  and  therefore  contains  several  little  family  an 
ecdotes  of  no  importance  to  others.  What  follows  was  written 
many  years  after  in  compliance  with  the  advice  contain'd  in 
these  letters,  and  accordingly  intended  for  the  public.  The 
affairs  of  the  Revolution  occasion'd  the  interruption. 

Letter  from  Mr  Abel  James ,  with  Notes  of  my  Life 
(received  in  Parish 

"My  DEAR  AND  HONORED  FRIEND:  I  have  often  been  de 
sirous  of  writing  to  thee,  but  could  not  be  reconciled  to  the 
thought,  that  the  letter  might  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  British, 
lest  some  printer  or  busy-body  should  publish  some  part  of  the 
contents,  and  give  our  friend  pain,  and  myself  censure. 

"  Some  time  since  there  fell  into  my  hands,  to  my  great  joy, 
about  twenty-three  sheets  in  thy  own  handwriting,  containing 
an  account  of  the  parentage  and  life  of  thyself,  directed  to  thy 
son,  ending  in  the  year  1730,  with  which  there  were  notes, 
likewise  in  thy  writing;  a  copy  of  which  I  inclose,  in  hopes  it 
may  be  a  means,  if  thou  continued  it  up  to  a  later  period,  that 
the  first  and  latter  part  may  be  put  together ;  and  if  it  is  not  yet 
continued,  I  hope  thee  will  not  delay  it.  Life  is  uncertain,  as 
the  preacher  tells  us ;  and  what  will  the  world  say  if  kind, 
humane,  and  benevolent  Ben.  Franklin  should  leave  his  friends 


74        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

and  the  world  deprived  of  so  pleasing  and  profitable  a  work ; 
a  work  which  would  be  useful  and  entertaining  not  only  to  a 
few,  but  to  millions  ?  The  influence  writings  under  that  class 
have  on  the  minds  of  youth  is  very  great,  and  has  nowhere 
appeared  to  me  so  plain,  as  in  our  public  friend's  journals.  It 
almost  insensibly  leads  the  youth  into  the  resolution  of  endeav 
oring  to  become  as  good  and  eminent  as  the  journalist.  Should 
thine,  for  instance,  when  published  (and  I  think  it  could  not 
fail  of  it),  lead  the  youth  to  equal  the  industry  and  temperance 
of  thy  early  youth,  what  a  blessing  with  that  class  would  such 
a  work  be  !  I  know  of  no  character  living,  nor  many  of  them 
put  together,  who  has  so  much  in  his  power  as  thyself  to  pro 
mote  a  greater  spirit  of  industry  and  early  attention  to  business, 
frugality,  and  temperance  with  the  American  youth.  Not  that 
I  think  the  work  would  have  no  other  merit  and  use  in  the 
world,  far  from  it;  but  the  first  is  of  such  vast  importance  that 
I  know  nothing  that  can  equal  it." 

The  foregoing  letter  and  the  minutes  accompanying  it 
being  shown  to  a  friend,  I  received  from  him  the  following : 

Letter  from  Mr  Benjamin  Vaughan 

PARIS,  January  31,  1783. 

"  MY  DEAREST  SIR  :  When  I  had  read  over  your  sheets  of 
minutes  of  the  principal  incidents  of  your  life,  recovered  for 
you  by  your  Quaker  acquaintance,  I  told  you  I  would  send  you 
a  letter  expressing  my  reasons  why  I  thought  it  would  be  useful 
to  complete  and  publish  it  as  he  desired.  Various  concerns  have 
for  some  time  past  prevented  this  letter  being  written,  and  I  do 
not  know  whether  it  was  worth  any  expectation ;  happening 
to  be  at  leisure,  however,  at  present,  I  shall  by  writing,  at  least 
interest  and  instruct  myself;  but  as  the  terms  I  am  inclined  to 
use  may  tend  to  offend  a  person  of  your  manners,  I  shall  only 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  75 

tell  you  how  I  would  address  any  other  person,  who  was  as  good 
and  as  great  as  yourself,  but  less  diffident.  I  would  say  to  him, 
Sir,  I  solicit  the  history  of  your  life  from  the  following  motives : 
Your  history  is  so  remarkable,  that  if  you  do  not  give  it,  some 
body  else  will  certainly  give  it ;  and  perhaps  so  as  nearly  to  do 
as  much  harm,  as  your  own  management  of  the  thing  might 
do  good.  It  will  moreover  present  a  table  of  the  internal  cir 
cumstances  of  your  country,  which  will  very  much  tend  to 
invite  to  it  settlers  of  virtuous  and  manly  minds.  And  consider 
ing  the  eagerness  with  which  such  information  is  sought  by 
them,  and  the  extent  of  your  reputation,  I  do  not  know  of  a 
more  efficacious  advertisement  than  your  biography  would 
give.  All  that  has  happened  to  you  is  also  connected  with 
the  detail  of  the  manners  and  situation  of  a  rising  people ; 
and  in  this  respect  I  do  not  think  that  the  writings  of  Cassar 
and  Tacitus  can  be  more  interesting  to  a  true  judge  of  human 
nature  and  society.  But  these,  sir,  are  small  reasons,  in  my  opin 
ion,  compared  with  the  chance  which  your  life  will  give  for 
the  forming  of  future  great  men ;  and  in  conjunction  with  your 
Art  of  Virtue  (which  you  design  to  publish)  of  improving  the 
features  of  private  character,  and  consequently  of  aiding  all 
happiness,  both  public  and  domestic.  The  two  works  I  allude 
to,  sir,  will  in  particular  give  a  noble  rule  and  example  of  self- 
education.  School  and  other  education  constantly  proceed  upon 
false  principles,  and  show  a  clumsy  apparatus  pointed  at  a  false 
mark ;  but  your  apparatus  is  simple,  and  the  mark  a  true  one ; 
and  while  parents  and  young  persons  are  left  destitute  of  other 
just  means  of  estimating  and  becoming  prepared  for  a  reason 
able  course  in  life,  your  discovery  that  the  thing  is  in  many 
a  man's  private  power,  will  be  invaluable !  Influence  upon  the 
private  character,  late  in  life,  is  not  only  an  influence  late  in  life, 
but  a  weak  influence.  It  is  in  youth  that  we  plant  our  chief 
habits  and  prejudices;  it  is  in  youth  that  we  take  our  party  as 
to  profession,  pursuits  and  matrimony.  In  youth,  therefore, 


76        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

the  turn  is  given ;  in  youth  the  education  even  of  the  next  gen 
eration  is  given ;  in  youth  the  private  and  public  character  is 
determined;  and  the  term  of  life  extending  but  from  youth  to 
age,  life  ought  to  begin  well  from  youth,  and  more  especially 
before  we  take  our  party  as  to  our  principal  objects.  But  your 
biography  will  not  merely  teach  self-education,  but  the  educa 
tion  of  a  wise  man ;  and  the  wisest  man  will  receive  lights  and 
improve  his  progress,  by  seeing  detailed  the  conduct  of  another 
wise  man.  And  why  are  weaker  men  to  be  deprived  of  such 
helps,  when  we  see  our  race  has  been  blundering  on  in  the  dark, 
almost  without  a  guide  in  this  particular,  from  the  farthest  trace 
of  time  ?  Show  then,  sir,  how  much  is  to  be  done,  both  to  sons 
and  fathers ;  and  invite  all  wise  men  to  become  like  yourself, 
and  other  men  to  become  wise.  When  we  see  how  cruel  states 
men  and  warriors  can  be  to  the  human  race,  and  how  absurd 
distinguished  men  can  be  to  their  acquaintance,  it  will  be  in 
structive  to  observe  the  instances  multiply  of  pacific,  acqui 
escing  manners ;  and  to  find  how  compatible  it  is  to  be  great 
and  domestic,  enviable  and  yet  good-humored. 

"The  little  private  incidents  which  you  will  also  have  to 
relate,  will  have  considerable  use,  as  we  want,  above  all  things, 
rules  of  prudence  in  ordinary  affairs;  and  it  will  be  curious  to 
see  how  you  have  acted  in  these.  It  will  be  so  far  a  sort  of  key 
to  life,  and  explain  many  things  that  all  men  ought  to  have 
once  explained  to  them,  to  give  them  a  chance  of  becoming 
wise  by  foresight.  The  nearest  thing  to  having  experience  of 
one's  own,  is  to  have  other  people's  affairs  brought  before  us 
in  a  shape  that  is  interesting ;  this  is  sure  to  happen  from  your 
pen;  our  affairs  and  management  will  have  an  air  of  simplicity 
or  importance  that  will  not  fail  to  strike ;  and  I  am  convinced 
you  have  conducted  them  with  as  much  originality  as  if  you 
had  been  conducting  discussions  in  politics  or  philosophy;  and 
what  more  worthy  of  experiments  and  system  (its  importance 
and  its  errors  considered)  than  human  life? 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  77 

"  Some  men  have  been  virtuous  blindly,  others  have  spec 
ulated  fantastically,  and  others  have  been  shrewd  to  bad 
purposes;  but  you,  sir,  I  am  sure,  will  give  under  your  hand, 
nothing  but  what  is  at  the  same  moment,  wise,  practical  and 
good.  Your  account  of  yourself  (for  I  suppose  the  parallel 
I  am  drawing  for  Dr  Franklin,  will  hold  not  only  in  point 
of  character,  but  of  private  history)  will  show  that  you  are 
ashamed  of  no  origin ;  a  thing  the  more  important,  as  you 
prove  how  little  necessary  all  origin  is  to  happiness,  virtue,  or 
greatness.  As  no  end  likewise  happens  without  a  means,  so  we 
shall  find,  sir,  that  even  you  yourself  framed  a  plan  by  which 
you  became  considerable;  but  at  the  same  time  we  may  see  that 
though  the  event  is  flattering,  the  means  are  as  simple  as  wis 
dom  could  make  them;  that  is,  depending  upon  nature, virtue, 
thought  and  habit.  Another  thing  demonstrated  will  be  the 
propriety  of  every  man's  waiting  for  his  time  for  appearing  upon 
the  stage  of  the  world.  Our  sensations  being  very  much  fixed 
to  the  moment,  we  are  apt  to  forget  that  more  moments  are  to 
follow  the  first,  and  consequently  that  man  should  arrange  his 
conduct  so  as  to  suit  the  whole  of  a  life.  Your  attribution  ap 
pears  to  have  been  applied  to  your  life,  and  the  passing  moments 
of  it  have  been  enlivened  with  content  and  enjoyment,  instead 
of  being  tormented  with  foolish  impatience  or  regrets.  Such 
a  conduct  is  easy  for  those  who  make  virtue  and  themselves  in 
countenance  by  examples  of  other  truly  great  men,  of  whom 
patience  is  so  often  characteristic.  Your  Quaker  correspond 
ent,  sir  (for  here  again  I  will  suppose  the  subject  of  my  letter 
resembling  Dr  Franklin),  praised  your  frugality,  diligence  and 
temperance,  which  he  considered  as  a  pattern  for  all  youth;  but 
it  is  singular  that  he  should  have  forgotten  your  modesty  and 
your  disinterestedness,  without  which  you  never  could  have 
waited  for  your  advancement,  or  found  your  situation  in  the 
mean  time  comfortable ;  which  is  a  strong  lesson  to  show  the 
poverty  of  glory  and  the  importance  of  regulating  our  minds. 


78         THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

If  this  correspondent  had  known  the  nature  of  your  reputation 
as  well  as  I  do,  he  would  have  said,  Your  former  writings  and 
measures  would  secure  attention  to  your  Biography,  and  Art  of 
Virtue ;  and  your  Biography  and  Art  of  Virtue,  in  return,  would 
secure  attention  to  them.  This  is  an  advantage  attendant  upon 
a  various  character,  and  which  brings  all  that  belongs  to  it  into 
greater  play ;  and  it  is  the  more  useful,  as  perhaps  more  persons 
are  at  a  loss  for  the  means  of  improving  their  minds  and  char 
acters,  than  they  are  for  the  time  or  the  inclination  to  do  it. 
But  there  is  one  concluding  reflection,  sir,  that  will  shew  the 
use  of  your  life  as  a  mere  piece  of  biography.  This  style  of  writ 
ing  seems  a  little  gone  out  of  vogue,  and  yet  it  is  a  very  useful 
one ;  and  your  specimen  of  it  may  be  particularly  serviceable, 
as  it  will  make  a  subject  of  comparison  with  the  lives  of  various 
public  cut-throats  and  intriguers,  and  with  absurd  monastic  self- 
tormentors  or  vain  literary  triflers.  If  it  encourages  more  writ 
ings  of  the  same  kind  with  your  own,  and  induces  more  men  to 
spend  lives  fit  to  be  written,  it  will  be  worth  all  Plutarch's  Lives 
put  together.  But  being  tired  of  figuring  to  myself  a  character 
of  which  every  feature  suits  only  one  man  in  the  world,  with 
out  giving  him  the  praise  of  it,  I  shall  end  my  letter,  my  dear 
Dr  Franklin,  with  a  personal  application  to  your  proper  self. 
I  am  earnestly  desirous,  then,  my  dear  sir,  that  you  should  let 
the  world  into  the  traits  of  your  genuine  character,  as  civil  broils 
may  otherwise  tend  to  disguise  or  traduce  it.  Considering  your 
great  age,  the  caution  of  your  character,  and  your  peculiar  style 
of  thinking,  it  is  not  likely  that  any  one  besides  yourself  can 
be  sufficiently  master  of  the  facts  of  your  life,  or  the  intentions 
of  your  mind.  Besides  all  this,  the  immense  revolution  of  the 
present  period,  will  necessarily  turn  our  attention  towards  the 
author  of  it,  and  when  virtuous  principles  have  been  pretended 
in  it,  it  will  be  highly  important  to  shew  that  such  have  really 
influenced ;  and,  as  your  own  character  will  be  the  principal 
one  to  receive  a  scrutiny,  it  is  proper  (even  for  its  effects  upon 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  79 

your  vast  and  rising  country,  as  well  as  upon  England  and  upon 
Europe)  that  it  should  stand  respectable  and  eternal.  For  the 
furtherance  of  human  happiness,  I  have  always  maintained  that 
it  is  necessary  to  prove  that  man  is  not  even  at  present  a  vicious 
and  detestable  animal ;  and  still  more  to  prove  that  good  man 
agement  may  greatly  amend  him ;  and  it  is  for  much  the  same 
reason,  that  I  am  anxious  to  see  the  opinion  established,  that 
there  are  fair  characters  existing  among  the  individuals  of  the 
race;  for  the  moment  that  all  men,  without  exception,  shall  be 
conceived  abandoned,  good  people  will  cease  efforts  deemed 
to  be  hopeless,  and  perhaps  think  of  taking  their  share  in  the 
scramble  of  life,  or  at  least  of  making  it  comfortable  principally 
for  themselves.  Take  then,  my  dear  sir,  this  work  most  speed 
ily  into  hand:  shew  yourself  good  as  you  are  good;  temperate 
as  you  are  temperate ;  and  above  all  things,  prove  yourself  as 
one,  who  from  your  infancy  have  loved  justice,  liberty  and  con 
cord,  in  a  way  that  has  made  it  natural  and  consistent  for  you 
to  have  acted,  as  we  have  seen  you  act  in  the  last  seventeen  years 
of  your  life.  Let  Englishmen  be  made  not  only  to  respect,  but 
even  to  love  you.  When  they  think  well  of  individuals  in 
your  native  country,  they  will  go  nearer  to  thinking  well  of 
your  country;  and  when  your  countrymen  see  themselves  well 
thought  of  by  Englishmen,  they  will  go  nearer  to  thinking 
well  of  England.  Extend  your  views  even  further;  do  not  stop 
at  those  who  speak  the  English  tongue,  but  after  having  settled 
so  many  points  in  nature  and  politics,  think  of  bettering  the 
whole  race  of  men.  As  I  have  not  read  any  part  of  the  life  in 
question,  but  know  only  the  character  that  lived  it,  I  write 
somewhat  at  hazard.  I  am  sure,  however,  that  the  life  and  the 
treatise  I  allude  to  (on  the  Art  of  Virtue)  will  necessarily  fulfil 
the  chief  of  my  expectations ;  and  still  more  so  if  you  take  up 
the  measure  of  suiting  these  performances  to  the  several  views 
above  stated.  Should  they  even  prove  unsuccessful  in  all  that 
a  sanguine  admirer  of  yours  hopes  for  them,  you  will  at  least 


8o        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

have  framed  pieces  to  interest  the  human  mind ;  and  whoever 
gives  a  feeling  of  pleasure  that  is  innocent  to  man,  has  added  so 
much  to  the  fair  side  of  a  life  otherwise  too  much  darkened  by 
anxiety  and  too  much  injured  by  pain.  In  the  hope,  therefore, 
that  you  will  listen  to  the  prayer  addressed  to  you  in  this  letter, 
I  beg  to  subscribe  myself,  my  dearest  sir,  etc.,  etc., 

"  Signed,  BENJ.  VAUGHAN." 


Continuation  of  the  Account  of  my  Life,  begun  at 
Passy,  near  Paris ,  1784 

It  is  some  time  since  I  receiv'd  the  above  letters,  but  I  have 
been  too  busy  till  now  to  think  of  complying  with  the  request 
they  contain.  It  might,  too,  be  much  better  done  if  I  were  at 
home  among  my  papers,  which  would  aid  my  memory,  and 
help  to  ascertain  dates ;  but  my  return  being  uncertain,  and  hav 
ing  just  now  a  little  leisure,  I  will  endeavor  to  recollect  and 
write  what  I  can ;  if  I  live  to  get  home,  it  may  there  be  cor 
rected  and  improv'd. 

Not  having  any  copy  here  of  what  is  already  written,  I  know 
not  whether  an  account  is  given  of  the  means  I  used  to  establish 
the  Philadelphia  public  library,  which,  from  a  small  beginning, 
is  now  become  so  considerable,  though  I  remember  to  have 
comedown  to  near  the  time  of  that  transaction  (1730).  I  will 
therefore  begin  herewith  an  account  of  it,  which  may  be  struck 
out  if  found  to  have  been  already  given. 

At  the  time  I  establish' d  myself  in  Pennsylvania,  there  was  not 
a  good  bookseller's  shop  in  any  of  the  colonies  to  the  southward 
of  Boston.  In  New  York  and  Philad'a  the  printers  were  indeed 
stationers;  they  sold  only  paper,  etc.,  almanacs,  ballads,  and 
a  few  common  school-books.  Those  who  lov'd  reading  were 
oblig'd  to  send  for  their  books  from  England;  the  members  of 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  81 

the  Junto  had  each  a  few.  We  had  left  the  alehouse,  where  we 
first  met,  and  hired  a  room  to  hold  our  club  in.  I  propos'd  that 
we  should  all  of  us  bring  our  books  to  that  room,  where  they 
would  not  only  be  ready  to  consult  in  our  conferences,  but  be 
come  a  common  benefit,  each  of  us  being  at  liberty  to  borrow 
such  as  he  wish'd  to  read  at  home.  This  was  accordingly  done, 
and  for  some  time  contented  us. 

Finding  the  advantage  of  this  little  collection,  I  propos'd  to 
render  the  benefit  from  books  more  common,  by  commencing 
a  public  subscription  library.  I  drew  a  sketch  of  the  plan  and 
rules  that  would  be  necessary,  and  got  a  skilful  conveyancer, 
Mr  Charles  Brockden,  to  put  the  whole  in  form  of  articles  of 
agreement  to  be  subscribed,  by  which  each  subscriber  en  gag' d 
to  pay  a  certain  sum  down  for  the  first  purchase  of  books,  and 
an  annual  contribution  for  increasing  them.  So  few  were  the 
readers  at  that  time  in  Philadelphia,  and  the  majority  of  us  so 
poor,  that  I  was  not  able,  with  great  industry,  to  find  more  than 
fifty  persons,  mostly  young  tradesmen,  willing  to  pay  down  for 
this  purpose  forty  shillings  each,  and  ten  shillings  per  annum. 
On  this  little  fund  we  began.  The  books  were  imported ;  the 
library  was  opened  one  day  in  the  week  for  lending  to  the  sub 
scribers,  on  their  promissory  notes  to  pay  double  the  value  if  not 
duly  returned.  The  institution  soon  manifested  its  utility,  was 
imitated  by  other  towns,  and  in  other  provinces.  The  libraries 
were  augmented  by  donations ;  reading  became  fashionable ; 
and  our  people,  having  no  publick  amusements  to  divert  their 
attention  from  study,  became  better  acquainted  with  books,  and 
in  a  few  years  were  observ'd  by  strangers  to  be  better  instructed 
and  more  intelligent  than  people  of  the  same  rank  generally 
are  in  other  countries. 

When  we  were  about  to  sign  the  above-mentioned  articles, 
which  were  to  be  binding  on  us,  our  heirs,  etc.,  for  fifty  years, 
Mr  Brockden,  the  scrivener,  said  to  us,  "You  are  young  men, 
but  it  is  scarcely  probable  that  any  of  you  will  live  to  see  the 


THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

expiration  of  the  term  fix'd  in  the  instrument.'*  A  number  of 
us,  however,  are  yet  living;  but  the  instrument  was  after  a  few 
years  rendered  null  by  a  charter  that  incorporated  and  gave  per 
petuity  to  the  company. 

The  objections  and  reluctances  I  met  with  in  soliciting  the 
subscriptions,  made  me  soon  feel  the  impropriety  of  presenting 
one's  self  as  the  proposer  of  any  useful  object,  that  might  be 
suppos'd  to  raise  one's  reputation  in  the  smallest  degree  above 
that  of  one's  neighbors,  when  one  has  need  of  their  assistance  to 
accomplish  that  project.  I  therefore  put  myself  as  much  as  I 
could  out  of  sight,  and  stated  it  as  a  scheme  of  a  number  of  friends  y 
who  had  requested  me  to  go  about  and  propose  it  to  such  as  they 
thought  lovers  of  reading.  In  this  way  my  affair  went  on  more 
smoothly,  and  I  ever  after  practis'd  it  on  such  occasions ;  and, 
from  my  frequent  successes,  can  heartily  recommend  it.  The 
present  little  sacrifice  of  your  vanity  will  afterwards  be  amply 
repaid.  If  it  remains  a  while  uncertain  to  whom  the  merit  be 
longs,  some  one  more  vain  than  yourself  will  be  encouraged  to 
claim  it,  and  then  even  envy  will  be  disposed  to  do  you  justice 
by  plucking  those  assumed  feathers,  and  restoring  them  to  their 
right  owner. 

This  library  afforded  me  the  means  of  improvement  by  con 
stant  study,  for  which  I  set  apart  an  hour  or  two  each  day,  and 
thus  repair' d  in  some  degree  the  loss  of  the  learned  education 
my  father  once  intended  for  me.  Reading  was  the  only  amuse 
ment  I  allow'd  myself.  I  spent  no  time  in  taverns,  games,  or 
frolicks  of  any  kind ;  and  my  industry  in  my  business  continu'd 
as  indefatigable  as  it  was  necessary.  I  was  indebted  for  my 
printing-house ;  I  had  a  young  family  coming  on  to  be  edu 
cated,  and  I  had  to  contend  with  for  business  two  printers,  who 
were  established  in  the  place  before  me.  My  circumstances, 
however,  grew  daily  easier.  My  original  habits  of  frugality 
continuing,  and  my  father  having,  among  his  instructions  to 
me  when  a  boy,  frequently  repeated  a  proverb  of  Solomon, 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  83 

"  Seest  thou  a  man  diligent  in  his  calling,  he  shall  stand  before 
kings,  he  shall  not  stand  before  mean  men,"  I  from  thence 
considered  industry  as  a  means  of  obtaining  wealth  and  distinc 
tion,  which  encourag'd  me,  tho'  I  did  not  think  that  I  should 
ever  literally  stand  before  kings,  which,  however,  has  since  hap 
pened  ;  for  I  have  stood  before^fw,  and  even  had  the  honour  of 
sitting  down  with  one,  the  King  of  Denmark,  to  dinner. 

We  have  an  English  proverb  that  says, "  He  that  would  thrive, 
must  ask  his  wife."  It  was  lucky  for  me  that  I  had  one  as  much 
dispos'd  to  industry  and  frugality  as  myself.  She  assisted  me 
cheerfully  in  my  business,  folding  and  stitching  pamphlets,  tend 
ing  shop,  purchasing  old  linen  rags  for  the  paper-makers,  etc., 
etc.  We  kept  no  idle  servants,  our  table  was  plain  and  simple, 
our  furniture  of  the  cheapest.  For  instance,  my  breakfast  was 
a  long  time  bread  and  milk  (no  tea),  and  I  ate  it  out  of  a  two 
penny  earthen  porringer,  with  a  pewter  spoon.  But  mark  how 
luxury  will  enter  families,  and  make  a  progress,  in  spite  of  prin 
ciple  :  being  call'd  one  morning  to  breakfast,  I  found  it  in  a 
China  bowl,  with  a  spoon  of  silver !  They  had  been  bought  for 
me  without  my  knowledge  by  my  wife,  and  had  cost  her  the 
enormous  sum  of  three-and-twenty  shillings,  for  which  she  had 
no  other  excuse  or  apology  to  make,  but  that  she  thought  her 
husband  deserv'd  a  silver  spoon  and  China  bowl  as  well  as  any 
of  his  neighbors.  This  was  the  first  appearance  of  plate  and 
China  in  our  house,  which  afterward,  in  a  course  of  years,  as 
our  wealth  increas'd,  augmented  gradually  to  several  hundred 
pounds  in  value. 

I  had  been  religiously  educated  as  a  Presbyterian ;  and  tho' 
some  of  the  dogmas  of  that  persuasion,  such  as  the  eternal  decrees 
of  God,  election,  reprobation,  etc.,  appeared  to  me  unintelligible, 
others  doubtful,  and  I  early  absented  myself  from  the  public 
assemblies  of  the  sect,  Sunday  being  my  studying  day,  I  never 
was  without  some  religious  principles.  I  never  doubted,  for 
instance,  the  existence  of  the  Deity;  that  he  made  the  world, 


84        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

and  govern'd  it  by  his  Providence;  that  the  most  acceptable 
service  of  God  was  the  doing  good  to  man ;  that  our  souls  are 
immortal ;  and  that  all  crime  will  be  punished,  and  virtue  re 
warded,  either  here  or  hereafter.  These  I  esteem' d  the  essentials 
of  every  religion ;  and,  being  to  be  found  in  all  the  religions  we 
had  in  our  country,  I  respected  them  all,  tho'  with  different 
degrees  of  respect,  as  I  found  them  more  or  less  mix'd  with  other 
articles,  which,  without  any  tendency  to  inspire,  promote,  or 
confirm  morality,  serv'd  principally  to  divide  us,  and  make  us 
unfriendly  to  one  another.  This  respect  to  all,  with  an  opinion 
that  the  worst  had  some  good  effects,  induc'd  me  to  avoid  all 
discourse  that  might  tend  to  lessen  the  good  opinion  another 
might  have  of  his  own  religion;  and  as  our  province  increas'd 
in  people,  and  new  places  of  worship  were  continually  wanted, 
and  generally  erected  by  voluntary  contribution,  my  mite  for 
such  purpose,  whatever  might  be  the  sect,  was  never  refused. 

Tho'  I  seldom  attended  any  public  worship,  I  had  still  an 
opinion  of  its  propriety,  and  of  its  utility  when  rightly  con 
ducted,  and  I  regularly  paid  my  annual  subscription  for  the 
support  of  the  only  Presbyterian  minister  or  meeting  we  had 
in  Philadelphia.  He  us'd  to  visit  me  sometimes  as  a  friend,  and 
admonish  me  to  attend  his  administrations,  and  I  was  now  and 
then  prevail'd  on  to  do  so,  once  for  five  Sundays  successively. 
Had  he  been  in  my  opinion  a  good  preacher,  perhaps  I  might 
have  continued,  notwithstanding  the  occasion  I  had  for  the 
Sunday's  leisure  in  my  course  of  study ;  but  his  discourses  were 
chiefly  either  polemic  arguments,  or  explications  of  the  pecul 
iar  doctrines  of  our  sect,  and  were  all  to  me  very  dry,  uninter 
esting,  and  unedifying,  since  not  a  single  moral  principle  was 
inculcated  or  enforc'd,  their  aim  seeming  to  be  rather  to  make 
us  Presbyterians  than  good  citizens. 

At  length  he  took  for  his  text  that  verse  of  the  fourth  chapter 
of  Philippians,  "  Finally,  brethren,  whatsoever  things  are  true,  hon 
est,  just,  pure,  lovely,  or  of  good  report,  if  there  be  any  virtue,  or  any 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  85 

praise,  think  on  these  things"  And  I  imagin'd,  in  a  sermon  on 
such  a  text,  we  could  not  miss  of  having  some  morality.  But 
he  confin'd  himself  to  five  points  only,  as  meant  by  the  apostle, 
viz.:  i.  Keeping  holy  the  Sabbath  day.  2.  Being  diligent  in 
reading  the  holy  Scriptures.  3.  Attending  duly  the  publick 
worship.  4.  Partaking  of  the  Sacrament.  5.  Paying  a  due  re 
spect  to  God's  ministers.  These  might  be  all  good  things ;  but, 
as  they  were  not  the  kind  of  good  things  that  I  expected  from 
that  text,  I  despaired  of  ever  meeting  with  them  from  any  other, 
was  disgusted,  and  attended  his  preaching  no  more.  I  had  some 
years  before  compos'd  a  little  Liturgy,  or  form  of  prayer,  for 
my  own  private  use  (viz.,  in  1728),  entitled,  Articles  of  Belief 
and  Acts  of  Religion.  I  return' d  to  the  use  of  this,  and  went  no 
more  to  the  public  assemblies.  My  conduct  might  be  blame- 
able,  but  I  leave  it,  without  attempting  further  to  excuse  it ; 
my  present  purpose  being  to  relate  facts,  and  not  to  make  apo 
logies  for  them. 

It  was  about  this  time  I  conceiv'd  the  bold  and  arduous  pro 
ject  of  arriving  at  moral  perfection.  I  wish'd  to  live  without 
committing  any  fault  at  any  time;  I  would  conquer  all  that 
either  natural  inclination,  custom,  or  company  might  lead  me 
into.  As  I  knew,  or  thought  I  knew,  what  was  right  and  wrong, 
I  did  not  see  why  I  might  not  always  do  the  one  and  avoid  the 
other.  But  I  soon  found  I  had  undertaken  a  task  of  more  diffi 
culty  than  I  had  imagined.  While  my  care  was  employ' d  in 
guarding  against  one  fault,  I  was  often  surprised  by  another; 
habit  took  the  advantage  of  inattention;  inclination  was  some 
times  too  strong  for  reason.  I  concluded,  at  length,  that  the 
mere  speculative  conviction  that  it  was  our  interest  to  be  com 
pletely  virtuous,  was  not  sufficient  to  prevent  our  slipping;  and 
that  the  contrary  habits  must  be  broken,  and  good  ones  acquired 
and  established,  before  we  can  have  any  dependence  on  a  steady, 
uniform  rectitude  of  conduct.  For  this  purpose  I  therefore  con 
trived  the  following  method. 


86        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

In  the  various  enumerations  of  the  moral  virtues  I  had  met 
with  in  my  reading,  I  found  the  catalogue  more  or  less  numer 
ous,  as  different  writers  included  more  or  fewer  ideas  under  the 
same  name.  Temperance,  for  example,  was  by  some  confined 
to  eating  and  drinking,  while  by  others  it  was  extended  to  mean 
the  moderating  every  other  pleasure,  appetite,  inclination,  or 
passion,  bodily  or  mental,  even  to  our  avarice  and  ambition.  I 
propos'dto  myself,  for  the  sake  of  clearness,  to  use  rather  more 
names,  with  fewer  ideas  annex'd  to  each,  than  a  few  names  with 
more  ideas;  and  I  included  under  thirteen  names  of  virtues  all 
that  at  that  time  occurr'd  to  me  as  necessary  or  desirable,  and 
annexed  to  each  a  short  precept,  which  fully  express'd  the  ex 
tent  I  gave  to  its  meaning. 

These  names  of  virtues,  with  their  precepts,  were: 

i.  TEMPERANCE. 
Eat  not  to  dullness;  drink  not  to  elevation. 

2.  SILENCE. 

Speak  not  but  what  may  benefit  others  or  yourself;  avoid 
trifling  conversation. 

3.  ORDER. 

Let  all  your  things  have  their  places;  let  each  part  of  your 
business  have  its  time. 

4.  RESOLUTION. 

Resolve  to  perform  what  you  ought;  perform  without  fail 
what  you  resolve. 

5.  FRUGALITY. 

Make  no  expense  but  to  do  good  to  others  or  yourself;  /.*., 
waste  nothing. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  87 

6.  INDUSTRY. 

Lose  no  time;  be  always  employ'd  in  something  useful;  cut 
off  all  unnecessary  actions. 

7.  SINCERITY. 

Use  no  hurtful  deceit ;  think  innocently  and  justly,  and,  if 
you  speak,  speak  accordingly. 

8.  JUSTICE. 

Wrong  none  by  doing  injuries,  or  omitting  the  benefits  that 
are  your  duty. 

9.  MODERATION. 

Avoid  extr earns ;  forbear  resenting  injuries  so  much  as  you 
think  they  deserve. 

10.  CLEANLINESS. 

Tolerate  no  uncleanliness  in  body,  cloaths,  or  habitation. 

ii.  TRANQUILLITY. 

Be  not  disturbed  at  trifles,  or  at  accidents  common  or  un 
avoidable. 

12.  CHASTITY. 

Rarely  use  venery  but  for  health  or  offspring,  never  to  dull 
ness,  weakness,  or  the  injury  of  your  own  or  another's  peace  or 
reputation. 

13.  HUMILITY. 

Imitate  Jesus  and  Socrates. 

My  intention  being  to  acquire  the  habitude  of  all  these  virtues, 
I  judg'd  it  would  be  well  not  to  distract  my  attention  by  at 
tempting  the  whole  at  once,  but  to  fix  it  on  one  of  them  at  a 


THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

time;  and,  when  I  should  be  master  of  that,  then  to  proceed  to 
another,  and  so  on,  till  I  should  have  gone  thro'  the  thirteen ; 
and,  as  the  previous  acquisition  of  some  might  facilitate  the 
acquisition  of  certain  others,  I  arrang'd  them  with  that  view, 
as  they  stand  above.  Temperance  first,  as  it  tends  to  procure 
that  coolness  and  clearness  of  head,  which  is  so  necessary  where 
constant  vigilance  was  to  be  kept  up,  and  guard  maintained 
against  the  unremitting  attraction  of  ancient  habits,  and  the 
force  of  perpetual  temptations.  This  being  acquir'd  and  estab- 
lish'd,  Silence  would  be  more  easy;  and  my  desire  being  to  gain 
knowledge  at  the  same  time  that  I  improv'd  in  virtue,  and  con 
sidering  that  in  conversation  it  was  obtain' d  rather  by  the  use 
of  the  ears  than  of  the  tongue,  and  therefore  wishing  to  break 
a  habit  I  was  getting  into  of  prattling,  punning,  and  joking, 
which  only  made  me  acceptable  to  trifling  company,  I  gave 
Silence  the  second  place.  This  and  the  next,  Order,  I  expected 
would  allow  me  more  time  for  attending  to  my  project  and  my 
studies.  Resolution,  once  become  habitual,  would  keep  me  firm 
in  my  endeavors  to  obtain  all  the  subsequent  virtues;  Frugality 
and  Industry  freeing  me  from  my  remaining  debt,  and  produc 
ing  affluence  and  independence,  would  make  more  easy  the 
practice  of  Sincerity  and  Justice,  etc.,  etc.  Conceiving  then, 
that,  agreeably  to  the  advice  of  Pythagoras  in  his  Golden 
Verses,  daily  examination  would  be  necessary,  I  contrived  the 
following  method  for  conducting  that  examination. 

I  made  a  little  book,  to  which  I  allotted  a  page  for  each  of 
the  virtues.  I  rul'd  each  page  with  red  ink,  so  as  to  have  seven 
columns,  one  for  each  day  of  the  week,  marking  each  column 
with  a  letter  for  the  day.  I  cross'd  these  columns  with  thirteen 
red  lines,  marking  the  beginning  of  each  line  with  the  first  letter 
of  one  of  the  virtues,  on  which  line,  and  in  its  proper  column, 
I  might  mark,  by  a  little  black  spot,  every  fault  I  found  upon 
examination  to  have  been  committed  respecting  that  virtue 
upon  that  day. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN 


Form  of  the  pages. 


TEMPERANCE. 

EAT    NOT   TO    DULLNESS  ; 
DRINK    NOT    TO    ELEVATION. 

S. 

M. 

T. 

W. 

T. 

F. 

S. 

T. 

S. 

# 

# 

* 

* 

0. 

** 

# 

# 

# 

* 

* 

R. 

# 

# 

F. 

* 

# 

I. 

# 

S. 

J- 

M. 

C. 

T. 

C. 

H. 

I  determined  to  give  a  week's  strict  attention  to  each  of  the 
virtues  successively.  Thus,  in  the  first  week,  my  great  guard 
was  to  avoid  every  the  least  offence  against  Temperance,  leaving 
the  other  virtues  to  their  ordinary  chance,  only  marking  every 
evening  the  faults  of  th  e  day.  Thus,  if  in  the  first  week  I  could 
keep  my  first  line,  marked  T,  clear  of  spots,  I  suppos'd  the  habit 


90        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

of  that  virtue  so  much  strengthen' d,  and  its  opposite  weaken'd, 
that  I  might  venture  extending  my  attention  to  include  the 
next,  and  for  the  following  week  keep  both  lines  clear  of  spots. 
Proceeding  thus  to  the  last,  I  could  go  thro'  a  course  compleat 
in  thirteen  weeks,  and  four  courses  in  a  year.  And  like  him 
who,  having  a  garden  to  weed,  does  not  attempt  to  eradicate 
all  the  bad  herbs  at  once,  which  would  exceed  his  reach  and 
his  strength,  but  works  on  one  of  the  beds  at  a  time,  and,  hav 
ing  accomplished  the  first,  proceeds  to  a  second,  so  I  should 
have,  I  hoped,  the  encouraging  pleasure  of  seeing  on  my  pages 
the  progress  I  made  in  virtue,  by  clearing  successively  my  lines 
of  their  spots,  till  in  the  end,  by  a  number  of  courses,  I  should 
be  happy  in  viewing  a  clean  book,  after  a  thirteen  weeks'  daily 
examination. 

This  my  little  book  had  for  its  motto  these  lines  from  Addi- 
son's  Cato : 

"  Here  will  I  hold.    If  there 's  a  power  above  us 
(And  that  there  is,  all  nature  cries  aloud 
Thro'  all  her  works),  He  must  delight  in  virtue; 
And  that  which  he  delights  in  must  be  happy." 

Another  from  Cicero, 

"  O  vitae  Philosophia  dux  !  O  virtutum  indagatrix  expultrixque 
vitiorum  !  Unus  dies,  bene  et  ex  praeceptis  tuis  actus,  peccanti  im- 
mortalitati  est  anteponendus." 

Another  from  the  Proverbs  of  Solomon,  speaking  of  wisdom 
or  virtue : 

"  Length  of  days  is  in  her  right  hand,  and  in  her  left  hand  riches 
and  honour.  Her  ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness,  and  all  her  paths  are 
peace."  in.  16, 17. 

And  conceiving  God  to  be  the  fountain  of  wisdom,  I  thought 
it  right  and  necessary  to  solicit  his  assistance  for  obtaining  it ; 
to  this  end  I  formed  the  following  little  prayer,  which  was 
prefix'd  to  my  tables  of  examination,  for  daily  use: 

"  O  powerful  Goodness  !  bountiful  Father  !  merciful  Guide  !  Increase 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN 

in  me  that  wisdom  which  discovers  my  truest  interest.  Strengthen  my 
resolutions  to  perform  what  that  wisdom  dictates.  Accept  my  kind  offices 
to  thy  other  children  as  the  only  return  in  my  power  for  thy  continual 
favours  to  me" 

I  used  also  sometimes  a  little  prayer  which  I  took  from 
Thomson's  Poems,  viz. : 

"  Father  of  light  and  life,  thou  Good  Supreme ! 
O  teach  me  what  is  good ;  teach  me  Thyself! 
Save  me  from  folly,  vanity,  and  vice, 
From  every  low  pursuit ;  and  fill  my  soul 
With  knowledge,  conscious  peace,  and  virtue  pure ; 
Sacred,  substantial,  never-fading  bliss  !  " 

The  precept  of  Order  requiring  that  every  part  of  my  business 
should  have  its  allotted  time,  one  page  in  my  little  book  contain'd 
the  following  scheme  of  employment  for  the  twenty-four  hours 
of  a  natural  day. 


THE  MORNING. 
Question.  What  good  shall  I 
do  this  day  ? 


NOON. 


EVENING. 

Question.  What  good  have 
done  to-day  ? 


8 

9 

10 
ii 

12 
I 

2 

3 

4 
5 

6 

7 


Rise,  wash,  and  address  Pow 
erful  Goodness !  Contrive  day's 
business,  and  take  the  resolu 
tion  of  the  day;  prosecute  the 
present  study,  and  breakfast. 

Work. 


Read,   or   overlook  my  ac 
counts,  and  dine. 


Work. 

Put  things  in  their  places. 
Supper.  Music  or  diversion,  or 
conversation.  Examination  of 
the  day. 


92         THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 


NIGHT. 


101 
ii 

12 
I 

2 

3 

4 


Sleep. 


I  enter 'd  upon  the  execution  of  this  plan  for  self-examina 
tion,  and  continu'd  it  with  occasional  intermissions  for  some 
time.  I  was  surpris'd  to  find  myself  so  much  fuller  of  faults 
than  I  had  imagined ;  but  I  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  them 
diminish.  To  avoid  the  trouble  of  renewing  now  and  then  my 
little  book,  which,  by  scraping  out  the  marks  on  the  paper  of 
old  faults  to  make  room  for  new  ones  in  a  new  course,  became 
full  of  holes,  I  transferred  my  tables  and  precepts  to  the  ivory 
leaves  of  a  memorandum  book,  on  which  the  lines  were  drawn 
with  red  ink,  that  made  a  durable  stain,  and  on  those  lines  I 
mark'd  my  faults  with  a  black-lead  pencil,  which  marks  I  could 
easily  wipe  out  with  a  wet  sponge.  After  a  while  I  went  thro' 
one  course  only  in  a  year,  and  afterward  only  one  in  several 
years,  till  at  length  I  omitted  them  entirely,  being  employ 'd 
in  voyages  and  business  abroad,  with  a  multiplicity  of  affairs 
that  interfered ;  but  I  always  carried  my  little  book  with  me. 

My  scheme  of  ORDER  gave  me  the  most  trouble ;  and  I 
found  that,  tho'  it  might  be  practicable  where  a  man's  business 
was  such  as  to  leave  him  the  disposition  of  his  time,  that  of  a 
journeyman  printer,  for  instance,  it  was  not  possible  to  be  ex 
actly  observed  by  a  master,  who  must  mix  with  the  world,  and 
often  receive  people  of  business  at  their  own  hours.  Order,  too, 
with  regard  to  places  for  things,  papers,  etc.,  I  found  extreamly 
difficult  to  acquire.  I  had  not  been  early  accustomed  to  it,  and, 
having  an  exceeding  good  memory,  I  was  not  so  sensible  of  the 
inconvenience  attending  want  of  method.  This  article,  there 
fore,  cost  me  so  much  painful  attention,  and  my  faults  in  it 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  93 

vexed  me  so  much,  and  I  made  so  little  progress  in  amendment, 
and  had  such  frequent  relapses,  that  I  was  almost  ready  to  give 
up  the  attempt,  and  content  myself  with  a  faulty  character  in 
that  respect,  like  the  man  who,  in  buying  an  ax  of  a  smith,  my 
neighbour,  desired  to  have  the  whole  of  its  surface  as  bright  as 
the  edge.  The  smith  consented  to  grind  it  bright  for  him  if 
he  would  turn  the  wheel;  he  turn'd,  while  the  smith  press'd 
the  broad  face  of  the  ax  hard  and  heavily  on  the  stone,  which 
made  the  turning  of  it  very  fatiguing.  The  man  came  every 
now  and  then  from  the  wheel  to  see  how  the  work  went  on,  and 
at  length  would  take  his  ax  as  it  was,  without  farther  grinding. 
"No,"  said  the  smith,  "turn  on,  turn  on;  we  shall  have  it 
bright  by-and-by ;  as  yet,  it  is  only  speckled."  "  Yes,"  says  the 
man,  "  but  I  think  Hike  the  speckled  ax  best"  And  I  believe  this 
may  have  been  the  case  with  many;  who,  having,  for  want  of 
some  such  means  as  I  employ'd,  found  the  difficulty  of  obtain 
ing  good  and  breaking  bad  habits  in  other  points  of  vice  and 
virtue,  have  given  up  the  struggle,  and  concluded  that  "a  speckled 
ax  was  best ; "  for  something,  that  pretended  to  be  reason,  was 
every  now  and  then  suggesting  to  me  that  such  extream  nicety 
as  I  exacted  of  myself  might  be  a  kind  of  foppery  in  morals, 
which,  if  it  were  known,  would  make  me  ridiculous;  that 
a  perfect  character  might  be  attended  with  the  inconvenience 
of  being  envied  and  hated ;  and  that  a  benevolent  man  should 
allow  a  few  faults  in  himself,  to  keep  his  friends  in  counten 
ance. 

In  truth,  I  found  myself  incorrigible  with  respect  to  Order ; 
and  now  I  am  grown  old,  and  my  memory  bad,  I  feel  very  sen 
sibly  the  want  of  it.  But,  on  the  whole,  tho'  I  never  arrived  at 
the  perfection  I  had  been  so  ambitious  of  obtaining,  but  fell  far 
short  of  it,  yet  I  was,  by  the  endeavour,  a  better  and  a  happier 
man  than  I  otherwise  should  have  been  if  I  had  not  attempted 
it ;  as  those  who  aim  at  perfect  writing  by  imitating  the  engraved 
copies,  tho'  they  never  reach  the  wish'd-for  excellence  of  those 


94         THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

copies,  their  hand  is  mended  by  the  endeavor,  and  is  tolerable 
while  it  continues  fair  and  legible. 

It  may  be  well  my  posterity  should  be  informed  that  to  this 
little  artifice,  with  the  blessing  of  God,  their  ancestor  ow'd  the 
constant  felicity  of  his  life,  down  to  his  79th  year,  in  which 
this  is  written.  What  reverses  may  attend  the  remainder  is  in 
the  hand  of  Providence ;  but,  if  they  arrive,  the  reflection  on 
past  happiness  enjoy 'd  ought  to  help  his  bearing  them  with 
more  resignation.  To  Temperance  he  ascribes  his  long-con 
tinued  health,  and  what  is  still  left  to  him  of  a  good  consti 
tution;  to  Industry  and  Frugality,  the  early  easiness  of  his 
circumstances  and  acquisition  of  his  fortune,  with  all  that 
knowledge  that  enabled  him  to  be  a  useful  citizen,  and  ob 
tained  for  him  some  degree  of  reputation  among  the  learned ; 
to  Sincerity  and  Justice,  the  confidence  of  his  country,  and  the 
honorable  employs  it  conferred  upon  him;  and  to  the  joint  in 
fluence  of  the  whole  mass  of  the  virtues,  even  in  the  imperfect 
state  he  was  able  to  acquire  them,  all  that  evenness  of  temper, 
and  that  cheerfulness  in  conversation,  which  makes  his  com 
pany  still  sought  for,  and  agreeable  even  to  his  younger  acquaint 
ance.  I  hope,  therefore,  that  some  of  my  descendants  may  follow 
the  example  and  reap  the  benefit. 

It  will  be  remark'd  that,  tho*  my  scheme  was  not  wholly 
without  religion,  there  was  in  it  no  mark  of  any  of  the  distin 
guishing  tenets  of  any  particular  sect.  I  had  purposely  avoided 
them;  for,  being  fully  persuaded  of  the  utility  and  excellency 
of  my  method,  and  that  it  might  be  serviceable  to  people  in 
all  religions,  and  intending  some  time  or  other  to  publish  it, 
I  would  not  have  anything  in  it  that  should  prejudice  any  one, 
of  any  sect,  against  it.  I  purposed  writing  a  little  comment  on 
each  virtue,  in  which  I  would  have  shown  the  advantages  of 
possessing  it,  and  the  mischiefs  attending  its  opposite  vice ;  and 
I  should  have  called  my  book  THE  ART  OF  VIRTUE/  because 

1  Nothing  so  likely  to  make  a  man's  fortune  as  virtue.  —  Marg,  note. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  95 

it  would  have  shown  the  means  and  manner  of  obtaining  virtue, 
which  would  have  distinguished  it  from  the  mere  exhortation 
to  be  good,  that  does  not  instruct  and  indicate  the  means,  but 
is  like  the  apostle's  man  of  verbal  charity,  who  only  without 
showing  to  the  naked  and  hungry  how  or  where  they  might 
get  clothes  or  victuals,  exhorted  them  to  be  fed  and  clothed. 
James  ii.  15,  16. 

But  it  so  happened  that  my  intention  of  writing  and  pub 
lishing  this  comment  was  never  fulfilled.  I  did,  indeed,  from 
time  to  time,  put  down  short  hints  of  the  sentiments,  reason 
ings,  etc.,  to  be  made  use  of  in  it,  some  of  which  I  have  still  by 
me ;  but  the  necessary  close  attention  to  private  business  in  the 
earlier  part  of  my  life,  and  public  business  since,  have  occasioned 
my  postponing  it ;  for,  it  being  connected  in  my  mind  with 
a  great  and  extensive  project,  that  required  the  whole  man  to  ex 
ecute,  and  which  an  unforeseen  succession  of  employs  prevented 
my  attending  to,  it  has  hitherto  remain'd  unfinish'd. 

In  this  piece  it  was  my  design  to  explain  and  enforce  this 
doctrine,  that  vicious  actions  are  not  hurtful  because  they  are 
forbidden,  but  forbidden  because  they  are  hurtful,  the  nature 
of  man  alone  considered ;  that  it  was,  therefore,  every  one's 
interest  to  be  virtuous  who  wish'd  to  be  happy  even  in  this 
world ;  and  I  should,  from  this  circumstance  (there  being 
always  in  the  world  a  number  of  rich  merchants,  nobility,  states, 
and  princes,  who  have  need  of  honest  instruments  for  the  man 
agement  of  their  affairs,  and  such  being  so  rare),  have  endeav 
ored  to  convince  young  persons  that  no  qualities  were  so  likely 
to  make  a  poor  man's  fortune  as  those  of  probity  and  integrity. 

My  list  of  virtues  contain'd  at  first  but  twelve ;  but  a  Quaker 
friend  having  kindly  informed  me  that  I  was  generally  thought 
proud;  that  my  pride  show'd  itself  frequently  in  conversation ; 
that  I  was  not  content  with  being  in  the  right  when  discussing 
any  point,  but  was  overbearing,  and  rather  insolent,  of  which 
he  convinc'd  me  by  mentioning  several  instances ;  I  determined 


96 


THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 


endeavouring  to  cure  myself,  if  I  could,  of  this  vice  or  folly 
among  the  rest,  and  I  added  Humility  to  my  list,  giving  an  ex 
tensive  meaning  to  the  word. 

I  cannot  boast  of  much  success  in  acquiring  the  reality  of  this 
virtue,  but  I  had  a  good  deal  with  regard  to  the  appearance  of 
it.  I  made  it  a  rule  to  forbear  all  direct  contradiction  to  the 
sentiments  of  others,  and  all  positive  assertion  of  my  own.  I 
even  forbid  myself,  agreeably  to  the  old  laws  of  our  Junto,  the 
use  of  every  word  or  expression  in  the  language  that  imported 
a  fix'd  opinion,  such  as  certainly ',  undoubtedly,  etc.,  and  I  adopted, 
instead  of  them,  /  conceive,  I  apprehend,  or  /  imagine  a  thing  to 
be  so  or  so ;  or  it  so  appears  to  me  at  present.  When  another 
asserted  something  that  I  thought  an  error,  I  deny'd  myself  the 
pleasure  of  contradicting  him  abruptly,  and  of  showing  im 
mediately  some  absurdity  in  his  proposition ;  and  in  answering 
I  began  by  observing  that  in  certain  cases  or  circumstances  his 
opinion  would  be  right,  but  in  the  present  case  there  appear  d 
or  seem'd  to  me  some  difference,  etc.  I  soon  found  the  advan 
tage  of  this  change  in  my  manner;  the  conversations  I  engag'd 
in  went  on  more  pleasantly.  The  modest  way  in  which  I  pro- 
pos'd  my  opinions  procur'd  them  a  readier  reception  and  less 
contradiction ;  I  had  less  mortification  when  I  was  found  to  be 
in  the  wrong,  and  I  more  easily  prevail' d  with  others  to  give 
up  their  mistakes  and  join  with  me  when  I  happened  to  be  in 
the  right. 

And  this  mode,  which  I  at  first  put  on  with  some  violence 
to  natural  inclination,  became  at  length  so  easy,  and  so  habitual 
to  me,  that  perhaps  for  these  fifty  years  past  no  one  has  ever 
heard  a  dogmatical  expression  escape  me.  And  to  this  habit 
(after  my  character  of  integrity)  I  think  it  principally  owing 
that  I  had  early  so  much  weight  with  my  fellow-citizens  when 
I  proposed  new  institutions,  or  alterations  in  the  old,  and  so 
much  influence  in  public  councils  when  I  became  a  member; 
for  I  was  but  a  bad  speaker,  never  eloquent,  subject  to  much 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  97 

hesitation  in  my  choice  of  words,  hardly  correct  in  language, 
and  yet  I  generally  carried  my  points. 

In  reality,  there  is,  perhaps,  no  one  of  our  natural  passions 
so  hard  to  subdue  as  pride.  Disguise  it,  struggle  with  it,  beat  it 
down,  stifle  it,  mortify  it  as  much  as  one  pleases,  it  is  still  alive, 
and  will  every  now  and  then  peep  out  and  show  itself;  you  will 
see  it,  perhaps,  often  in  this  history ;  for,  even  if  I  could  con 
ceive  that  I  had  compleatly  overcome  it,  I  should  probably  be 
proud  of  my  humility. 

[Thus  far  written  at  Passy,  1784.] 


["  /  am  now  about  to  write  at  home,  August,  1788,  but  can  not  have 
the  help  expected  from  my  papers,  many  of  them  being  lost  in  the 
war.  I  have,  however,  found  the  following." 

Having  mentioned  a  great  and  extensive  project  which  I  had 
conceiv'd,  it  seems  proper  that  some  account  should  be  here 
given  of  that  project  and  its  object.  Its  first  rise  in  my  mind 
appears  in  the  following  little  paper,  accidentally  preserv'd, 
viz.: 

Observations  on  my  reading  history,  in  Library,  May  1  9th, 


"  That  the  great  affairs  of  the  world,  the  wars,  revolutions, 
etc.,  are  carried  on  and  affected  by  parties. 

"That  the  view  of  these  parties  is  their  present  general  in 
terest,  or  what  they  take  to  be  such. 

"  That  the  different  views  of  these  different  parties  occasion 
all  confusion. 

"That  while  a  party  is  carrying  on  a  general  design,  each 
man  has  his  particular  private  interest  in  view. 

"  That  as  soon  as  a  party  has  gain'd  its  general  point,  each 
member  becomes  intent  upon  his  particular  interest  ;  which, 
thwarting  others,  breaks  that  party  into  divisions,  and  occasions 
more  confusion. 


98        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

"  That  few  in  public  affairs  act  from  a  mere  view  of  the  good 
of  their  country,  whatever  they  may  pretend ;  and,  tho'  their 
actings  bring  real  good  to  their  country,  yet  men  primarily  con 
sidered  that  their  own  and  their  country's  interest  was  united, 
and  did  not  act  from  a  principle  of  benevolence. 

"  That  fewer  still,  in  public  affairs,  act  with  a  view  to  the 
good  of  mankind. 

"  There  seems  to  me  at  present  to  be  great  occasion  for 
raising  a  United  Party  for  Virtue,  by  forming  the  virtuous 
and  good  men  of  all  nations  into  a  regular  body,  to  be  govern' d 
by  suitable  good  and  wise  rules,  which  good  and  wise  men 
may  probably  be  more  unanimous  in  their  obedience  to,  than 
common  people  are  to  common  laws. 

"  I  at  present  think  that  whoever  attempts  this  aright,  and  is 
well  qualified,  can  not  fail  of  pleasing  God,  and  of  meeting  with 
success.  B.  F." 

Revolving  this  project  in  my  mind,  as  to  be  undertaken  here 
after,  when  my  circumstances  should  afford  me  the  necessary 
leisure,  I  put  down  from  time  to  time,  on  pieces  of  paper,  such 
thoughts  as  occurr'd  to  me  respecting  it.  Most  of  these  are 
lost ;  but  I  find  one  purporting  to  be  the  substance  of  an  in 
tended  creed,  containing,  as  I  thought,  the  essentials  of  every 
known  religion,  and  being  free  of  every  thing  that  might  shock 
the  professors  of  any  religion.  It  is  express'd  in  these  words, 
viz. : 

"  That  there  is  one  God,  who  made  all  things. 

"  That  he  governs  the  world  by  his  providence. 

"  That  he  ought  to  be  worshipped  by  adoration,  prayer,  and 
thanksgiving. 

"  But  that  the  most  acceptable  service  of  God  is  doing  good 
to  man. 

"  That  the  soul  is  immortal. 

"  And  that  God  will  certainly  reward  virtue  and  punish  vice, 
either  here  or  hereafter." 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  99 

My  ideas  at  that  time  were,  that  the  sect  should  be  begun 
and  spread  at  first  among  young  and  single  men  only ;  that  each 
person  to  be  initiated  should  not  only  declare  his  assent  to  such 
creed,  but  should  have  exercised  himself  with  the  thirteen 
weeks'  examination  and  practice  of  the  virtues,  as  in  the  before- 
mention'd  model;  that  the  existence  of  such  a  society  should 
be  kept  a  secret,  till  it  was  become  considerable,  to  prevent  soli 
citations  for  the  admission  of  improper  persons,  but  that  the 
members  should  each  of  them  search  among  his  acquaintance 
for  ingenuous,  well-disposed  youths,  to  whom,  with  prudent 
caution,  the  scheme  should  be  gradually  communicated ;  that 
the  members  should  engage  to  afford  their  advice,  assistance, 
and  support  to  each  other  in  promoting  one  another's  interests, 
business,  and  advancement  in  life ;  that,  for  distinction,  we 
should  be  calFd  The  Society  of  the  Free  and  Easy :  free,  as  being, 
by  the  general  practice  and  habit  of  the  virtues,  free  from  the 
dominion  of  vice ;  and  particularly  by  the  practice  of  industry 
and  frugality,  free  from  debt,  which  exposes  a  man  to  confine 
ment,  and  a  species  of  slavery  to  his  creditors. 

This  is  as  much  as  I  can  now  recollect  of  the  project,  except 
that  I  communicated  it  in  part  to  two  young  men,  who  adopted 
it  with  some  enthusiasm ;  but  my  then  narrow  circumstances, 
and  the  necessity  I  was  under  of  sticking  close  to  my  business, 
occasion' d  my  postponing  the  further  prosecution  of  it  at  that 
time;  and  my  multifarious  occupations,  public  and  private, 
induc'd  me  to  continue  postponing,  so  that  it  has  been  omitted 
till  I  have  no  longer  strength  or  activity  left  sufficient  for  such 
an  enterprise ;  tho'  I  am  still  of  opinion  that  it  was  a  practi 
cable  scheme,  and  might  have  been  very  useful,  by  forming 
a  great  number  of  good  citizens;  and  I  was  not  discourag'd  by 
the  seeming  magnitude  of  the  undertaking,  as  I  have  always 
thought  that  one  man  of  tolerable  abilities  may  work  great 
changes,  and  accomplish  great  affairs  among  mankind,  if  he 
first  forms  a  good  plan,  and,  cutting  oflfall  amusements  or  other 


ioo      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

employments  that  would  divert  his  attention,  makes  the  execu 
tion  of  that  same  plan  his  sole  study  and  business. 

In  1732  I  first  publish' d  my  Almanack,  under  the  name  of 
Richard  Saunders;  it  was  continu'd  by  me  about  twenty-five 
years,  commonly  call'd  Poor  Richard's  Almanack.  I  endeavor'd 
to*  make  it  both  entertaining  and  useful,  and  it  accordingly 
came  to  be  in  such  demand,  that  I  reap'd  considerable  profit 
from  it,  vending  annually  near  ten  thousand.  And  observing 
that  it  was  generally  read,  scarce  any  neighborhood  in  the  pro 
vince  being  without  it,  I  consider'd  it  as  a  proper  vehicle  for 
conveying  instruction  among  the  common  people,  who  bought 
scarcely  any  other  books ;  I  therefore  filled  all  the  little  spaces 
that  occurred  between  the  remarkable  days  in  the  calendar 
with  proverbial  sentences,  chiefly  such  as  inculcated  industry 
and  frugality,  as  the  means  of  procuring  wrealth,  and  thereby 
securing  virtue;  it  being  more  difficult  for  a  man  in  want, 
to  act  always  honestly,  as,  to  use  here  one  of  those  proverbs,  it 
is  hard  for  an  empty  sack  to  stand  upright. 

These  proverbs,  which  contained  the  wisdom  of  many  ages 
and  nations,  I  assembled  and  form'd  into  a  connected  discourse 
prefix' d  to  the  Almanack  of  1 757,35  the  harangue  of  a  wise  old 
man  to  the  people  attending  an  auction.  The  bringing  all  these 
scatter'd  counsels  thus  into  a  focus  enabled  them  to  make 
greater  impression.  The  piece,  being  universally  approved, 
was  copied  in  all  the  newspapers  of  the  Continent ;  reprinted 
in  Britain  on  a  broad  side,  to  be  stuck  up  in  houses;  two  trans 
lations  were  made  of  it  in  French,  and  great  numbers  bought 
by  the  clergy  and  gentry,  to  distribute  gratis  among  their  poor 
parishioners  and  tenants.  In  Pennsylvania,  as  it  discouraged 
useless  expense  in  foreign  superfluities,  some  thought  it  had  its 
share  of  influence  in  producing  that  growing  plenty  of  money 
which  was  observable  for  several  years  after  its  publication. 

I  considered  my  newspaper,  also,  as  another  means  of  com 
municating  instruction,  and  in  that  view  frequently  reprinted  in 


Poor  Richard,  1733. 


A  N 


Almanack 

FortheYear  ofChrift 


5494 


Being  the  FirfUffer  I  F.AP  YEAR: 

.-/?;./  tf.-.rl'r i  J!- •',  tl-f  L'rentim  Years 

3y  tlu-  Acroijm  ot  ;iic:  E  firm  <.'rnkt  7241 

:'iv  r'ic  Latin  Clmrch,    v-lun  O  cut.  f  <tyi? 

Jv  rhe  Con  putaticn  of  H'.tt'.  5^427 

"v  '.ho  Rom  u  Chronology  5(<S? 
By  :hc  Jfa;/5'  Kabbirs 

If  herein  is  contained 
Th?  Lunation^   Edipfcs,    Judgment  .of 

••he  v\  e..ther,  Spring  TidcS  Plane's  Motion-  & 
ir.uruai  Afpc£ti,  Sun  and  Moon's  Rifin»"..nd  Set 
ting,  Length  of  Days,  Time  of  High  Water, 
Faiis,  Courts,  and  ohfcrvabl-  D.i)s 
;  Fitted  tothe  Latitude  ol  Forty  Drrne**  • 
and  a  Meridian  of  Fivr  Hours  Weft  rr0m  /  ttutm, 
hut  may  uirhout  fenfihle  E'ior.  iciveal*  the  jd- 
jscent  Places,  even  from  Newfoundland  \o 


B 


PHILADELPHIA: 
end  fold  by  B  FR.jiKKLlVf  «  the  New 
Trinrinp  Office  near  the  Market. 
The  Third  Jmprcflioa. 


Explanation  of  this  ALMANACK, 

THE  firft  Column  fhews  the  Days  of  the  Month. 
The  fecond  fliews  the  Week  days,   Smdfj 
Letter  being  this"  Year  G. 

The  third  contains  theDays  obferv'd  by  the  Church, 
the  Afpcdis  of  the  Planets  and  Judgment  of  the 
Weather ;  the  Length,  Increafe,  and  Decreafe  of 
Days,  the  lifing  and  fetting  of  the  (even  Stars,  &c. 

The  louith  is  the  Time  of  High  Water  at  PU- 
!.  blp'iia,  (h)  fignifies  half  an  1-onr  t^ttr. 

'1'hc  fifth  i*  the  Moon's  Place. 

The  (u:h  is  the  Sun's  rifing  and  fetting,  thus  un- 
.jillood  ;  Againft  the  fecond  Day  of  January  you 
fee  in  the  6th  Column  thcfc  Figures  7  '.4  j,  which 
fhou  that  the  Sun  riles  that  Day  14  minutes  after  7, 
and  fcts  14  minutes  bcfoie  5.  I  have  chofr  to  put 
the  Sun's  rifing  and  fitting  for  every  day,  rather  rhan 
the  Moon's,  bccaufe  of  its  conltant  Ufc  in  fetting 
of  Clocks  and  Watches. 

In  the  Lift  Column,  with  the  Changes  of  the 
Moon,  I  h..vc  put  her  rifing  and  fetting  every  five 
i'.-  fix  Day>  :  If  you  want  to  know  her  rifing  or  fet- 
11111;  on  :>  D'ty  or  two  after  That  ap.u'uft  uhich  I 
luvc  let  ir,  the  common  Rule  of  an  hour  and  a  hnlf 
la'cr  c.'.ch  d  iv,  will  be  cxaii  enough  to  direct  Peo 
ple  in  their  Travelling,  which  u  the  common  Lie 
that  I  :  .  ' .  of  it. 


A 


iibL-  Observation*  apd  Notes. 

LF.I,  Mi-il'iics  of  Longitude  aic  deduced  fiom 
B*rle}-corm:  Three  Barley  corns  make  an 
h,  M  Inches  a  Foot,  3  Feet  a  Yard,  5  Yards  & 
!•.:<  lull  OIK-  Pole  or  Perch,  40  Pcarchcs  make  a  Fur- 
loi  {,S  Fuilongs  make  a  Mile,  in  a  Mile  are  310 
!\i  !ie»  or  Poles,  1066  Paces,  1408  Ells,  1760 
V  ;,,,!•.,  >:.;;,.  F«et ;  65560  Inches ;  ijcoSe  Barley 
corns. 

[lie  circonfirmcc  of  the  Earth  and  .Sea  jointly 

<    ZJC  ;<1  Mile.;,  and  the  Diameter  7966  Miles,  atld 
•     Scmidi  .n.ctcr  598;  Milet,  according  to 
radon. 


XI  Mon.     January  hath  xxxi  days. 


Mon  met  than  ivift. 

OM  Batchelor  would  have  a  Wife  that's  wife, 

Fair,  lich,  and  young,  a  Maiden  for  his  Bed  ; 

No:  proud,  nor  churlifh,  but  of  fauhicts  fiie ; 

ACoumry  Houfttife  in  the  City  bred 
He's  a  nice  Fool,  and  long  in  vain  hath  (laid  ; 
He  Ihould  bcfpcak  her,  there's  none  ready  made. 


ijCircumcilion 
5,7  *f«u.  7  51  Ev 
4|d©5  m«dj& 
5  Day  9(1.  34  m. 

7  Epiphany  D  ^ 
G  how  if  not  too  warm 


t  tms  time. 

|©  cm   -X. 
4  Days  incr.  30111. 

and 
6  7  *  louth.  7    13 

.bund.  aft.  Ep. 
i  *  fo.  6  56 
Filtine  rMa.  wind) 
D  0^  narrate 
Jnavi  or  rain. 
Jays  10  hours. 
*0T, 
ScpruagcfimB 
7^*  fouth  632 

will  be  mtre 
4JDTj9     old  rain, 
Uys  10  h.  J2m. 
/TOW. 


6Da> 


5Di 


3  K.  Cha.  I.  dccol 


14 

h\y,7  14 


?°j7   15   5 

ttn  i2 

19-7  u 


5  >  rife  4  j  m, 
5  Ne*  i  4  day 
at  8  Aftem. 


7  8 
7 
6 

5 

4 
3 


7     9 


167 

« 

'4J7 

,0187 

.on  7 
11*57 

I2S,  7 

4.7  » 

J!7  I 

2hi97  o 

f6  59 

5<S  58 

f'6  57 
i(J 

r«  55 

ni«  54 

i4«  53 

•266  54 

6  51 

6  50 

|Vf  6  4« 

'jaifltf  47 


P'irfn'i  tea*, 
> lets  8  '  3  aft. 


5  Ft, It  Quarter. 

^'Jitijfnldbt 

fat,  lAenviiii- 

)fctsat2rjiorn 

tfrtrt  day,     Lift 

j  you're  tot  frtntlr 

•jfirnbafenioaj. 

5JFu»  •  18  d«y 
50  «  night. 

1 

Qsf  btotfe  V)itt.4ut 
6ii!»ma*&PtTe. 
d(  >  riies  i  o  afc. 
it  like  4 


K.ofGr.  Srit.&c. 


tniierick  Prince  of  tf'aki  ' 

lii  (.  Emperor  of  Germjitf 
15.  King  of  Frame 
,  Queen   of  FrMxe, 
Lmfoli  |.  Duke  of  Larr.iin 
Fbilif  j.  King  of  >p.ii« 
'f»t»  5    King  of 
* 


A  Catalogue  of  tne  principal  Kings  and 

Princes  in  Eurife,  with  the  Time  of  their  Births 


and  Ages. 


Born  Ag. 

30  Off,  i<f83  50 

n  i  ^/«r.  1685  48 

19  ^^w.  170627 

l  OH.  l5S5'48 

1$  Feb  171023 

23  fiat,  1705150 

I  1  Sett.  1679  54 


19  /;«. 
22  Off. 


1683 


50 


^.  J*z*piu>  K.  of  /••, 
Fteitn.k  4.  King  of  Dtnmark 
FrtJirict  King  ofSvstS.t* 
D«»/«  F"d-'iek,  D.  of  /.'o//;; 
Prince  fi«rc»r  vfSnoy 


i6S8  45 


1661 


U  Off.  J«7i  61 
a8  -Vpr.   167(5  57 

14  .ij».  pec 

15  Off.  166; 
v  ;4.i/.ir  1^71 


72 


Poor  Rxl.wd,  au  Ameiican  Prince,  ) 
» itiioutSabjcfts,  his  Wife  being>  i;0 


Viceroy  over  him, 

A  Dcfcriptionofthc  Mighways&Roada 

¥iom,4mi'TptliJ  in  Maryland  to  Pi'UJJtlflij,  145 


^ROM^ 

_ '  To  fataffa  Pfry  50 
To  G*Mpetadsr  Ftrry  2O 
To  S*f<fucb.in*b  Ferri  2  { 
To  friocifii  Iron  Hror.  3 


Miles,  thus  accounted  ; 

To 


To  Chrijlint  Ferry 


To  Ftf  **vrr 

From 


To 


F«ny  4 


ir 
,  "> 

To  BronJuyne  Ferry  I 

To  \»<i««j»'s  Creek  9 

To  Cttfc?  5 

To  Derh  9 
To 

to 

M.     To  Swrtfem's  Ferry     30 


To  5«.  ^a  *  Ferry 
«*«« 
To  Perl  7iW» 


To  drnolti  Ferry 
To  C&«fe'»''  Perry  1> 
To  ferotoia's  Odina.  1  1 
uTfk  it 
In  all  i«t 


THE    FIRST    ISSUE    (1733)    OF    "  POOR    RICHARD'S    ALMANACK" 

/•V/-.x/,  f-'i/tli,  Ni-rriitli,  ttn'I  T.dttt  /ttit/cn  ;  oriifhiii/  »?jr  :  2J  /;>/  5  j 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  101 

it  extracts  from  the  Spectator,  and  other  moral  writers ;  and 
sometimes  publish'd  little  pieces  of  my  own,  which  had  been 
first  compos'd  for  reading  in  our  Junto.  Of  these  are  a  Socratic 
dialogue,  tending  to  prove  that,  whatever  might  be  his  parts 
and  abilities,  a  vicious  man  could  not  properly  be  called  a  man 
of  sense ;  and  a  discourse  on  self-denial,  showing  that  virtue 
was  not  secure  till  its  practice  became  a  habitude,  and  was  free 
from  the  opposition  of  contrary  inclinations.  These  may  be 
found  in  the  papers  about  the  beginning  of  1735. 

In  the  conduct  of  my  newspaper,  I  carefully  excluded  all 
libelling  and  personal  abuse,  which  is  of  late  years  become  so 
disgraceful  to  our  country.  Whenever  I  was  solicited  to  insert 
any  thing  of  that  kind,  and  the  writers  pleaded,  as  they  gen 
erally  did,  the  liberty  of  the  press,  and  that  a  newspaper  was 
like  a  stage-coach,  in  which  any  one  who  would  pay  had  a  right 
to  a  place,  my  answer  was,  that  I  would  print  the  piece  sepa 
rately  if  desired,  and  the  author  might  have  as  many  copies  as 
he  pleased  to  distribute  himself,  but  that  I  would  not  take  upon 
me  to  spread  his  detraction ;  and  that,  having  contracted  with 
my  subscribers  to  furnish  them  with  what  might  be  either  use 
ful  or  entertaining,  I  could  not  fill  their  papers  with  private 
altercation,  in  which  they  had  no  concern,  without  doing  them 
manifest  injustice.  Now,  many  of  our  printers  make  no  scruple 
of  gratifying  the  malice  of  individuals  by  false  accusations  of 
the  fairest  characters  among  ourselves,  augmenting  animosity 
even  to  the  producing  of  duels ;  and  are,  moreover,  so  indiscreet 
as  to  print  scurrilous  reflections  on  the  government  of  neigh 
boring  states,  and  even  on  the  conduct  of  our  best  national  allies, 
which  may  be  attended  with  the  most  pernicious  consequences. 
These  things  I  mention  as  a  caution  to  young  printers,  and  that 
they  may  be  encouraged  not  to  pollute  their  presses  and  dis 
grace  their  profession  by  such  infamous  practices,  but  refuse 
steadily,  as  they  may  see  by  my  example  that  such  a  course  of 
conduct  will  not,  on  the  whole,  be  injurious  to  their  interests. 


102        THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

In  1733  I  sent  one  of  my  journeymen  to  Charleston,  South 
Carolina,  where  a  printer  was  wanting.  I  furnished  him  with 
a  press  and  letters,  on  an  agreement  of  partnership,  by  which 
I  was  to  receive  one-third  of  the  profits  of  the  business,  paying 
one-third  of  the  expense.  He  was  a  man  of  learning,  and  hon 
est  but  ignorant  in  matters  of  account;  and,  tho'  he  sometimes 
made  me  remittances,  I  could  get  no  account  from  him,  nor 
any  satisfactory  state  of  our  partnership  while  he  lived.  On  his 
decease,  the  business  was  continued  by  his  widow,  who,  being 
born  and  bred  in  Holland,  where,  as  I  have  been  inform'd,  the 
knowledge  of  accounts  makes  a  part  of  female  education,  she 
not  only  sent  me  as  clear  a  state  as  she  could  find  of  the  trans 
actions  past,  but  continued  to  account  with  the  greatest  regu 
larity  and  exactness  every  quarter  afterwards,  and  managed  the 
business  with  such  success,  that  she  not  only  brought  up  repu 
tably  a  family  of  children,  but,  at  the  expiration  of  the  term, 
was  able  to  purchase  of  me  the  printing-house,  and  establish 
her  son  in  it. 

I  mention  this  affair  chiefly  for  the  sake  of  recommending 
that  branch  of  education  for  our  young  females,  as  likely  to  be 
of  more  use  to  them  and  their  children,  in  case  of  widowhood, 
than  either  music  or  dancing,  by  preserving  them  from  losses 
by  imposition  of  crafty  men,  and  enabling  them  to  continue, 
perhaps,  a  profitable  mercantile  house,  with  establish' d  cor 
respondence,  till  a  son  is  grown  up  fit  to  undertake  and  go  on 
with  it,  to  the  lasting  advantage  and  enriching  of  the  family. 

About  the  year  1734  there  arrived  among  us  from  Ireland  a 
young  Presbyterian  preacher,  named  Hemphill,  who  delivered 
with  a  good  voice,  and  apparently  extempore,  most  excellent  dis 
courses,  which  drew  together  considerable  numbers  of  different 
persuasions,  who  join'd  in  admiring  them.  Among  the  rest,  I 
became  one  of  his  constant  hearers,  his  sermons  pleasing  me, 
as  they  had  little  of  the  dogmatical  kind,  but  inculcated  strongly 
the  practice  of  virtue,  or  what  in  the  religious  style  are  called 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  103 

good  works.  Those,  however,  of  our  congregation,  who  con 
sidered  themselves  as  orthodox  Presbyterians,  disapprov'd  his 
doctrine,  and  were  join'd  by  most  of  the  old  clergy,  who  ar 
raign' d  him  of  heterodoxy  before  the  synod,  in  order  to  have 
him  silenc'd.  I  became  his  zealous  partisan,  and  contributed 
all  I  could  to  raise  a  party  in  his  favour,  and  we  combated  for 
him  a  while  with  some  hopes  of  success.  There  was  much 
scribbling  pro  and  con  upon  the  occasion ;  and  rinding  that, 
tho'  an  elegant  preacher,  he  was  but  a  poor  writer,  I  lent  him 
my  pen  and  wrote  for  him  two  or  three  pamphlets,  and  one 
piece  in  the  Gazette  of  April,  1735.  Those  pamphlets,  as  is 
generally  the  case  with  controversial  writings,  tho'  eagerly  read 
at  the  time,  were  soon  out  of  vogue,  and  I  question  whether 
a  single  copy  of  them  now  exists. 

During  the  contest  an  unlucky  occurrence  hurt  his  cause 
exceedingly.  One  of  our  adversaries  having  heard  him  preach 
a  sermon  that  was  much  admired,  thought  he  had  somewhere 
read  the  sermon  before,  or  at  least  a  part  of  it.  On  search,  he 
found  that  part  quoted  at  length,  in  one  of  the  British  Reviews, 
from  a  discourse  of  Dr.  Foster's.  This  detection  gave  many 
of  our  party  disgust,  who  accordingly  abandoned  his  cause,  and 
occasion'd  our  more  speedy  discomfiture  in  the  synod.  I  stuck 
by  him,  however,  as  I  rather  appro v'd  his  giving  us  good  ser 
mons  compos' d  by  others,  than  bad  ones  of  his  own  manufac 
ture,  tho'  the  latter  was  the  practice  of  our  common  teachers. 
He  afterwards  acknowledg'd  to  me  that  none  of  those  he 
preach' d  were  his  own ;  adding,  that  his  memory  was  such  as 
enabled  him  to  retain  and  repeat  any  sermon  after  one  reading 
only.  On  our  defeat,  he  left  us  in  search  elsewhere  of  better 
fortune,  and  I  quitted  the  congregation,  never  joining  it  after, 
tho'  I  continu'd  many  years  my  subscription  for  the  support  of 
its  ministers. 

I  had  begun  in  1 73  3  to  study  languages ;  I  soon  made  myself 
so  much  a  master  of  the  French  as  to  be  able  to  read  the  books 


104       THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

with  ease.  I  then  undertook  the  Italian.  An  acquaintance, 
who  was  also  learning  it,  us'd  often  to  tempt  me  to  play  chess 
with  him.  Finding  this  took  up  too  much  of  the  time  I  had 
to  spare  for  study,  I  at  length  refus'd  to  play  any  more,  unless 
on  this  condition,  that  the  victor  in  every  game  should  have  a 
right  to  impose  a  task,  either  in  parts  of  the  grammar  to  be  got 
by  heart,  or  in  translations,  etc.,  which  tasks  the  vanquish' d 
was  to  perform  upon  honour,  before  our  next  meeting.  As 
we  play'd  pretty  equally,  we  thus  beat  one  another  into  that 
language.  I  afterwards  with  a  little  painstaking,  acquir'd  as 
much  of  the  Spanish  as  to  read  their  books  also. 

I  have  already  mention'd  that  I  had  only  one  year's  instruc 
tion  in  a  Latin  school,  and  that  when  very  young,  after  which 
I  neglected  that  language  entirely.  But,  when  I  had  attained 
an  acquaintance  with  the  French,  Italian,  and  Spanish,  I  was 
surpriz'd  to  find,  on  looking  over  a  Latin  Testament,  that  I 
understood  so  much  more  of  that  language  than  I  had  imag 
ined,  which  encouraged  me  to  apply  myself  again  to  the  study 
of  it,  and  I  met  with  more  success,  as  those  preceding  languages 
had  greatly  smooth' d  my  way. 

From  these  circumstances,  I  have  thought  that  there  is  some 
inconsistency  in  our  common  mode  of  teaching  languages.  We 
are  told  that  it  is  proper  to  begin  first  with  the  Latin,  and, 
having  acquir'd  that,  it  will  be  more  easy  to  attain  those  modern 
languages  which  are  deriv'd  from  it ;  and  yet  we  do  not  begin 
with  the  Greek,  in  order  more  easily  to  acquire  the  Latin.  It 
is  true  that,  if  you  can  clamber  and  get  to  the  top  of  a  staircase 
without  using  the  steps,  you  will  more  easily  gain  them  in  de 
scending;  but  certainly,  if  you  begin  with  the  lowest  you  will 
with  more  ease  ascend  to  the  top;  and  I  would  therefore  offer 
it  to  the  consideration  of  those  who  superintend  the  education 
of  our  youth,  whether,  since  many  of  those  who  begin  with  the 
Latin  quit  the  same  after  spending  some  years  without  having 
made  any  great  proficiency,  and  what  they  have  learnt  becomes 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          105 

almost  useless,  so  that  their  time  has  been  lost,  it  would  not  have 
been  better  to  have  begun  with  the  French,  proceeding  to  the 
Italian,  etc. ;  for,  tho',  after  spending  the  same  time,  they  should 
quit  the  study  of  languages  and  never  arrive  at  the  Latin,  they 
would,  however,  have  acquired  another  tongue  or  two,  that, 
being  in  modern  use,  might  be  serviceable  to  them  in  com 
mon  life. 

After  ten  years'  absence  from  Boston,  and  having  become 
easy  in  my  circumstances,  I  made  a  journey  thither  to  visit  my 
relations,  which  I  could  not  sooner  well  afford.  In  returning, 
I  call'd  at  Newport  to  see  my  brother,  then  settled  there  with 
his  printing-house.  Our  former  differences  were  forgotten, 
and  our  meeting  was  very  cordial  and  affectionate.  He  was  fast 
declining  in  his  health,  and  requested  of  me  that,  in  case  of  his 
death,  which  he  apprehended  not  far  distant,  I  would  take 
home  his  son,  then  but  ten  years  of  age,  and  bring  him  up  to 
the  printing  business.  This  I  accordingly  perform' d,  sending 
him  a  few  years  to  school  before  I  took  him  into  the  office. 
His  mother  carried  on  the  business  till  he  was  grown  up,  when 
I  assisted  him  with  an  assortment  of  new  types,  those  of  his 
father  being  in  a  manner  worn  out.  Thus  it  was  that  I  made 
my  brother  ample  amends  for  the  service  I  had  depriv'd  him 
of  by  leaving  him  so  early. 

In  1736  I  lost  one  of  my  sons,  a  fine  boy  of  four  years  old, 
by  the  small-pox,  taken  in  the  common  way.  I  long  regretted 
bitterly,  and  still  regret  that  I  had  not  given  it  to  him  by  inocu 
lation.  This  I  mention  for  the  sake  of  parents  who  omit  that 
operation,  on  the  supposition  that  they  should  never  forgive 
themselves  if  a  child  died  under  it ;  my  example  showing  that 
the  regret  may  be  the  same  either  way,  and  that,  therefore,  the 
safer  should  be  chosen. 

Our  club,  the  Junto,  was  found  so  useful,  and  afforded  such 
satisfaction  to  the  members,  that  several  were  desirous  of  intro 
ducing  their  friends,  which  could  not  well  be  done  without 


106      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

exceeding  what  we  had  settled  as  a  convenient  number,  viz., 
twelve.  We  had  from  the  beginning  made  it  a  rule  to  keep 
our  institutions  a  secret,  which  was  pretty  well  observ'd ;  the 
intention  was  to  avoid  applications  of  improper  persons  for 
admittance,  some  of  whom,  perhaps,  we  might  find  it  difficult 
to  refuse.  I  was  one  of  those  who  were  against  any  addition 
to  our  number,  but,  instead  of  it,  made  in  writing  a  proposal, 
that  every  member  separately  should  endeavor  to  form  a  sub 
ordinate  club,  with  the  same  rules  respecting  queries,  etc.,  and 
without  informing  them  of  the  connection  with  the  Junto. 
The  advantages  proposed  were,  the  improvement  of  so  many 
more  young  citizens  by  the  use  of  our  institutions ;  our  better 
acquaintance  with  the  general  sentiments  of  the  inhabitants  on 
any  occasion,  as  the  Junto  member  might  propose  what  queries 
we  should  desire,  and  was  to  report  to  the  Junto  what  pass'd  in 
his  separate  club ;  the  promotion  of  our  particular  interests  in 
business  by  more  extensive  recommendation,  and  the  increase 
of  our  influence  in  public  affairs,  and  our  power  of  doing  good 
by  spreading  thro'  the  several  clubs  the  sentiments  of  the  Junto. 

The  project  was  approv'd,  and  every  member  undertook  to 
form  his  club,  but  they  did  not  all  succeed.  Five  or  six  only 
were  compleated,  which  were  called  by  different  names,  as  the 
Vine,  the  Union,  the  Band,  etc.  They  were  useful  to  them 
selves,  and  afforded  us  a  good  deal  of  amusement,  information, 
and  instruction,  besides  answering,  in  some  considerable  degree, 
our  views  of  influencing  the  public  opinion  on  particular  occa 
sions,  of  which  I  shall  give  some  instances  in  course  of  time  as 
they  happened. 

My  first  promotion  was  my  being  chosen,  in  173 6,  clerk  of 
the  General  Assembly.  The  choice  was  made  that  year  with 
out  opposition ;  but  the  year  following,  when  I  was  again  pro- 
pos'd  (the  choice,  like  that  of  the  members,  being  annual),  a 
new  member  made  a  long  speech  against  me,  in  order  to  favour 
some  other  candidate.  I  was,  however,  chosen,  which  was  the 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  107 

more  agreeable  to  me,  as,  besides  the  pay  for  the  immediate 
service  as  clerk,  the  place  gave  me  a  better  opportunity  of  keep 
ing  up  an  interest  among  the  members,  which  secur'd  to  me 
the  business  of  printing  the  votes,  laws,  paper  money,  and  other 
occasional  jobbs  for  the  public,  that,  on  the  whole,  were  very 
profitable. 

I  therefore  did  not  like  the  opposition  of  this  new  member, 
who  was  a  gentleman  of  fortune  and  education,  with  talents 
that  were  likely  to  give  him,  in  time,  great  influence  in  the 
House,  which,  indeed,  afterwards  happened.  I  did  not,  how 
ever,  aim  at  gaining  his  favour  by  paying  any  servile  respect  to 
him,  but,  after  some  time,  took  this  other  method.  Having 
heard  that  he  had  in  his  library  a  certain  very  scarce  and  curious 
book,  I  wrote  a  note  to  him,  expressing  my  desire  of  perusing 
that  book,  and  requesting  he  would  do  me  the  favour  of  lend 
ing  it  to  me  for  a  few  days.  He  sent  it  immediately,  and  I  re 
turn' d  it  in  about  a  week  with  another  note,  expressing  strongly 
my  sense  of  the  favour.  When  we  next  met  in  the  House,  he 
spoke  to  me  (which  he  had  never  done  before),  and  with  great 
civility ;  and  he  ever  after  manifested  a  readiness  to  serve  me 
on  all  occasions,  so  that  we  became  great  friends,  and  our 
friendship  continued  to  his  death.  This  is  another  instance 
of  the  truth  of  an  old  maxim  I  had  learned,  which  says, 
"  He  that  has  once  done  you  a  kindness  will  be  more  ready  to  do  you 
another •,  than  he  whom  you  yourself  have  obliged''  And  it  shows 
how  much  more  profitable  it  is  prudently  to  remove,  than  to 
resent,  return,  and  continue  inimical  proceedings. 

In  1737,  Colonel  Spotswood,  late  governor  of  Virginia,  and 
then  postmaster-general,  being  dissatisfied  with  the  conduct 
of  his  deputy  at  Philadelphia,  respecting  some  negligence  in 
rendering,  and  inexactitude  of  his  accounts,  took  from  him 
the  commission  and  offered  it  to  me.  I  accepted  it  readily, 
and  found  it  of  great  advantage ;  for,  tho'  the  salary  was  small, 
it  facilitated  the  correspondence  that  improv'd  my  newspaper, 


io8      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

increas'd  the  number  demanded,  as  well  as  the  advertisements 
to  be  inserted,  so  that  it  came  to  afford  me  a  considerable  in 
come.  My  old  competitor's  newspaper  declin'd  proportion- 
ably,  and  I  was  satisfy 'd  without  retaliating  his  refusal,  while 
postmaster,  to  permit  my  papers  being  carried  by  the  riders. 
Thus  he  suffer 'd  greatly  from  his  neglect  in  due  accounting ; 
and  I  mention  it  as  a  lesson  to  those  young  men  who  may  be 
employ 'd  in  managing  affairs  for  others,  that  they  should 
always  render  accounts,  and  make  remittances,  with  great 
clearness  and  punctuality.  The  character  of  observing  such  a 
conduct  is  the  most  powerful  of  all  recommendations  to  new 
employments  and  increase  of  business. 

I  began  now  to  turn  my  thoughts  a  little  to  public  affairs, 
beginning,  however,  with  small  matters.  The  city  watch  was 
one  of  the  first  things  that  I  conceiv'd  to  want  regulation.  It 
was  managed  by  the  constables  of  the  respective  wards  in  turn; 
the  constable  warned  a  number  of  housekeepers  to  attend  him 
for  the  night.  Those  who  chose  never  to  attend,  paid  him  six 
shillings  a  year  to  be  excus'd,  which  was  suppos'd  to  be  for 
hiring  substitutes,  but  was,  in  reality,  much  more  than  was 
necessary  for  that  purpose,  and  made  the  constableship  a  place 
of  profit ;  and  the  constable,  for  a  little  drink,  often  got  such 
ragamuffins  about  him  as  a  watch,  that  respectable  house 
keepers  did  not  choose  to  mix  with.  Walking  the  rounds,  too, 
was  often  neglected,  and  most  of  the  nights  spent  in  tippling. 
I  thereupon  wrote  a  paper  to  be  read  in  Junto,  representing 
these  irregularities,  but  insisting  more  particularly  on  the  in 
equality  of  this  six-shilling  tax  of  the  constables,  respecting  the 
circumstances  of  those  who  paid  it,  since  a  poor  widow  house 
keeper,  all  whose  property  to  be  guarded  by  the  watch  did  not 
perhaps  exceed  the  value  of  fifty  pounds,  paid  as  much  as  the 
wealthiest  merchant,  who  had  thousands  of  pounds'  worth  of 
goods  in  his  stores. 

On  the  whole,  I  proposed  as  a  more  effectual  watch,  the 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          109 

hiring  of  proper  men  to  serve  constantly  in  that  business;  and 
as  a  more  equitable  way  of  supporting  the  charge,  the  levying 
a  tax  that  should  be  proportion'd  to  the  property.  This  idea, 
being  approv'd  by  the  Junto,  was  communicated  to  the  other 
clubs,  but  as  arising  in  each  of  them ;  and  though  the  plan  was 
not  immediately  carried  into  execution,  yet,  by  preparing  the 
minds  of  people,  for  the  change,  it  paved  the  way  for  the  law 
obtained  a  few  years  after,  when  the  members  of  our  clubs 
were  grown  into  more  influence. 

About  this  time  I  wrote  a  paper  (first  to  be  read  in  Junto, 
but  it  was  afterward  publish' d)  on  the  different  accidents  and 
carelessnesses  by  which  houses  were  set  on  fire,  with  cautions 
against  them,  and  means  proposed  of  avoiding  them.  This  was 
much  spoken  of  as  a  useful  piece,  and  gave  rise  to  a  project, 
which  soon  followed  it,  of  forming  a  company  for  the  more 
ready  extinguishing  of  fires,  and  mutual  assistance  in  removing 
and  securing  of  goods  when  in  danger.  Associates  in  this  scheme 
were  presently  found,  amounting  to  thirty.  Our  articles  of 
agreement  oblig'd  every  member  to  keep  always  in  good  order, 
and  fit  for  use,  a  certain  number  of  leather  buckets,  with  strong 
bags  and  baskets  (for  packing  and  transporting  of  goods),  which 
were  to  be  brought  to  every  fire;  and  we  agreed  to  meet  once 
a  month  and  spend  a  social  evening  together,  in  discoursing  and 
communicating  such  ideas  as  occurred  to  us  upon  the  subject 
of  fires,  as  might  be  useful  in  our  conduct  on  such  occasions. 

The  utility  of  this  institution  soon  appeared,  and  many  more 
desiring  to  be  admitted  than  we  thought  convenient  for  one 
company,  they  were  advised  to  form  another,  which  was  ac 
cordingly  done;  and  this  went  on,  one  new  company  being 
formed  after  another,  till  they  became  so  numerous  as  to  in 
clude  most  of  the  inhabitants  who  were  men  of  property ;  and 
now,  at  the  time  of  my  writing  this,  tho'  upward  of  fifty  years 
since  its  establishment,  that  which  I  first  formed,  called  the 
Union  Fire  Company,  still  subsists  and  flourishes,  tho'  the  first 


no      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

members  arealj  deceas'd  but  myself  and  one,  who  is  older  by  a 
year  than  I  am.  The  small  fines  that  have  been  paid  by  mem 
bers  for  absence  at  the  monthly  meetings  have  been  apply'd  to 
the  purchase  of  fire-engines,  ladders,  fire-hooks,  and  other  use 
ful  implements  for  each  company,  so  that  I  question  whether 
there  is  a  city  in  the  world  better  provided  with  the  means  of 
putting  a  stop  to  beginning  conflagrations ;  and,  in  fact,  since 
these  institutions,  the  city  has  never  lost  by  fire  more  than  one 
or  two  houses  at  a  time,  and  the  flames  have  often  been  ex 
tinguished  before  the  house  in  which  they  began  has  been  half 
consumed. 

In  1739  arrived  among  us  from  Ireland  the  Reverend  Mr 
Whitefield,  who  had  made  himself  remarkable  there  as  an  itin 
erant  preacher.  He  was  at  first  permitted  to  preach  in  some 
of  our  churches;  but  the  clergy,  taking  a  dislike  to  him,  soon 
refus'd  him  their  pulpits,  and  he  was  oblig'd  to  preach  in  the 
fields.  The  multitudes  of  all  sects  and  denominations  that 
attended  his  sermons  were  enormous,  and  it  was  matter  of 
speculation  to  me,  who  was  one  of  the  number,  to  observe  the 
extraordinary  influence  of  his  oratory  on  his  hearers,  and  how 
much  they  admir'd  and  respected  him,  notwithstanding  his 
common  abuse  of  them,  by  assuring  them  they  were  naturally 
half  beasts  and  half  devils.  It  was  wonderful  to  see  the  change 
soon  made  in  the  manners  of  our  inhabitants.  From  being 
thoughtless  or  indifferent  about  religion,  it  seem'd  as  if  all  the 
world  were  growing  religious,  so  that  one  could  not  walk  thro* 
the  town  in  an  evening  without  hearing  psalms  sung  in  different 
families  of  every  street. 

And  it  being  found  inconvenient  to  assemble  in  the  open  air, 
subject  to  its  inclemencies,  the  building  of  a  house  to  meet  in 
was  no  sooner  propos'd,  and  persons  appointed  to  receive  con 
tributions,  but  sufficient  sums  were  soon  receiv'd  to  procure 
the  ground  and  erect  the  building,  which  was  one  hundred  feet 
long  and  seventy  broad,  about  the  size  of  Westminster  Hall ; 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          in 

and  the  work  was  carried  on  with  such  spirit  as  to  be  finished 
in  a  much  shorter  time  than  could  have  been  expected.  Both 
house  and  ground  were  vested  in  trustees,  expressly  for  the  use 
of  any  preacher  of  any  religious  persuasion  who  might  desire 
to  say  something  to  the  people  at  Philadelphia ;  the  design  in 
building  not  being  to  accommodate  any  particular  sect,  but  the 
inhabitants  in  general ;  so  that  even  if  the  Mufti  of  Constan 
tinople  were  to  send  a  missionary  to  preach  Mohammedanism 
to  us,  he  would  find  a  pulpit  at  his  service. 

Mr  Whitefield,  in  leaving  us,  went  preaching  all  the  way 
thro'  the  colonies  to  Georgia.  The  settlement  of  that  province 
had  lately  been  begun,  but,  instead  of  being  made  with  hardy, 
industrious  husbandmen,  accustomed  to  labor,  the  only  people 
fit  for  such  an  enterprise,  it  was  with  families  of  broken  shop 
keepers  and  other  insolvent  debtors,  many  of  indolent  and  idle 
habits,  taken  out  of  the  jails,  who,  being  set  down  in  the  woods, 
unqualified  for  clearing  land,  and  unable  to  endure  the  hard 
ships  of  a  new  settlement,  perished  in  numbers,  leaving  many 
helpless  children  unprovided  for.  The  sight  of  their  miserable 
situation  inspir'd  the  benevolent  heart  of  Mr  Whitefield  with 
the  idea  of  building  an  Orphan  House  there,  in  which  they 
might  be  supported  and  educated.  Returning  northward,  he 
preach'd  up  this  charity,  and  made  large  collections,  for  his 
eloquence  had  a  wonderful  power  over  the  hearts  and  purses 
of  his  hearers,  of  which  I  myself  was  an  instance. 

I  did  not  disapprove  of  the  design,  but,  as  Georgia  was  then 
destitute  of  materials  and  workmen,  and  it  was  proposed  to  send 
them  from  Philadelphia  at  a  great  expense,  I  thought  it  would 
have  been  better  to  have  built  the  house  here,  and  brought  the 
children  to  it.  This  I  advis'd ;  but  he  was  resolute  in  his  first 
project,  rejected  my  counsel,  and  I  therefore  refused  to  con 
tribute.  I  happened  soon  after  to  attend  one  of  his  sermons, 
in  the  course  of  which  I  perceived  he  intended  to  finish  with 
a  collection,  and  I  silently  resolved  he  should  get  nothing  from 


iia      THE    AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

me.  I  had  in  my  pocket  a  handful  of  copper  money,  three 
or  four  silver  dollars,  and  five  pistoles  in  gold.  As  he  proceeded 
I  began  to  soften,  and  concluded  to  give  the  coppers.  Another 
stroke  of  his  oratory  made  me  asham'd  of  that,  and  determin'd 
me  to  give  the  silver;  and  he  finish' d  so  admirably,  that  I 
empty'd  my  pocket  wholly  into  the  collector's  dish,  gold  and 
all.  At  this  sermon  there  was  also  one  of  our  club,  who,  being 
of  my  sentiments  respecting  the  building  in  Georgia,  and  sus 
pecting  a  collection  might  be  intended,  had,  by  precaution, 
emptied  his  pockets  before  he  came  from  home.  Towards  the 
conclusion  of  the  discourse,  however,  he  felt  a  strong  desire 
to  give,  and  apply'd  to  a  neighbour,  who  stood  near  him,  to 
borrow  some  money  for  the  purpose.  The  application  was 
unfortunately  [made]  to  perhaps  the  only  man  in  the  company 
who  had  the  firmness  not  to  be  affected  by  the  preacher.  His 
answer  was,  "At  any  other  time,  Friend  Hopkinson,  I  would  lend 
to  t  bee  freely ;  but  not  now,  for  thee  seems  to  be  out  of  thy  right 
senses" 

Some  of  Mr  Whitefield's  enemies  affected  to  suppose  that 
he  would  apply  these  collections  to  his  own  private  emolument; 
but  I,  who  was  intimately  acquainted  with  him  (being  em 
ployed  in  printing  his  Sermons  and  Journals,  etc.),  never  had 
the  least  suspicion  of  his  integrity,  but  am  to  this  day  decidedly 
of  opinion  that  he  was  in  all  his  conduct  a  perfectly  honest  man; 
and  methinks  my  testimony  in  his  favour  ought  to  have  the 
more  weight,  as  we  had  no  religious  connection.  He  us'd, 
indeed,  sometimes  to  pray  for  my  conversion,  but  never  had 
the  satisfaction  of  believing  that  his  prayers  were  heard.  Ours 
was  a  mere  civil  friendship,  sincere  on  both  sides,  and  lasted 
to  his  death. 

The  following  instance  will  show  something  of  the  terms 
on  which  we  stood.  Upon  one  of  his  arrivals  from  England 
at  Boston,  he  wrote  to  me  that  he  should  come  soon  to  Phil 
adelphia,  but  knew  not  where  he  could  lodge  when  there,  as  he 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          113 

understood  his  old  friend  and  host,  Mr  Benezet,  was  removed 
to  Germantown.  My  answer  was,  "You  know  my  house;  if 
you  can  make  shift  with  its  scanty  accommodations,  you  will 
be  most  heartily  welcome.'*  He  reply'd,  that  if  I  made  that 
kind  offer  for  Christ's  sake,  I  should  not  miss  of  a  reward.  And 
I  returned,  "Dorit  let  me  be  mistaken ;  it  was  not  for  Christ's  sake, 
but  for  your  sake."  One  of  our  common  acquaintance  jocosely 
remark' d,  that,  knowing  it  to  be  the  custom  of  the  saints,  when 
they  received  any  favour,  to  shift  the  burden  of  the  obligation 
from  off  their  own  shoulders,  and  place  it  in  heaven,  I  had  con- 
triv'd  to  fix  it  on  earth. 

The  last  time  I  saw  Mr  Whitefield  was  in  London,  when  he 
consulted  me  about  his  Orphan  House  concern,  and  his  purpose 
of  appropriating  it  to  the  establishment  of  a  college. 

He  had  a  loud  and  clear  voice,  and  articulated  his  words  and 
sentences  so  perfectly,  that  he  might  be  heard  and  understood 
at  a  great  distance,  especially  as  his  auditors,  however  numerous, 
observ'd  the  most  exact  silence.  He  preach' d  one  evening  from 
the  top  of  the  Court-house  steps,  which  are  in  the  middle  of 
Market-street,  and  on  the  west  side  of  Second-street,  which 
crosses  it  at  right  angles.  Both  streets  were  fill'd  with  his 
hearers  to  a  considerable  distance.  Being  among  the  hindmost 
in  Market-street,  I  had  the  curiosity  to  learn  how  far  he  could 
be  heard,  by  retiring  backwards  down  the  street  towards  the 
river ;  and  I  found  his  voice  distinct  till  I  came  near  Front- 
street,  when  some  noise  in  that  street  obscur'd  it.  Imagin 
ing  then  a  semicircle,  of  which  my  distance  should  be  the 
radius,  and  that  it  were  fill'd  with  auditors,  to  each  of  whom 
I  allow'd  two  square  feet,  I  computed  that  he  might  well  be 
heard  by  more  than  thirty  thousand.  This  reconcil'd  me  to 
the  newspaper  accounts  of  his  having  preach' d  to  twenty-five 
thousand  people  in  the  fields,  and  to  the  antient  histories  of 
generals  haranguing  whole  armies,  of  which  I  had  sometimes 
doubted. 


ii4       THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

By  hearing  him  often,  I  came  to  distinguish  easily  between 
sermons  newly  compos'd,  and  those  which  he  had  often  preach'd 
in  the  course  of  his  travels.  His  delivery  of  the  latter  was  so 
improv'd  by  frequent  repetitions  that  every  accent,  every  em 
phasis,  every  modulation  of  voice,  was  so  perfectly  well  turn'd 
and  well  plac'd,  that,  without  being  interested  in  the  subject, 
one  could  not  help  being  pleas' d  with  the  discourse;  a  pleasure 
of  much  the  same  kind  with  that  receiv'd  from  an  excellent 
piece  of  musick.  This  is  an  advantage  itinerant  preachers  have 
over  those  who  are  stationary,  as  the  latter  can  not  well  improve 
their  delivery  of  a  sermon  by  so  many  rehearsals. 

His  writing  and  printing  from  time  to  time  gave  great 
advantage  to  his  enemies ;  unguarded  expressions,  and  even 
erroneous  opinions,  delivered  in  preaching,  might  have  been 
afterwards  explain' d  or  qualifi'd  by  supposing  others  that  might 
have  accompani'd  them,  or  they  might  have  been  deny'd ;  but 
litera  scripta  manet.  Critics  attack' d  his  writings  violently,  and 
with  so  much  appearance  of  reason  as  to  diminish  the  number 
of  his  votaries  and  prevent  their  en  crease ;  so  that  I  am  of  opinion 
if  he  had  never  written  any  thing,  he  would  have  left  behind 
him  a  much  more  numerous  and  important  sect,  and  his  repu 
tation  might  in  that  case  have  been  still  growing,  even  after 
his  death,  as  there  being  nothing  of  his  writing  on  which  to 
found  a  censure  and  give  him  a  lower  character,  his  proselytes 
would  be  left  at  liberty  to  feign  for  him  as  great  a  variety  ojf 
excellences  as  their  enthusiastic  admiration  might  wish  him  to 
have  possessed. 

My  business  was  now  continually  augmenting,  and  my  cir 
cumstances  growing  daily  easier,  my  newspaper  having  become 
very  profitable,  as  being  for  a  time  almost  the  only  one  in  this 
and  the  neighbouring  provinces.  I  experienced,  too,  the  truth 
of  the  observation,  "that  after  getting  the  first  hundred  pound,  it 
is  more  easy  to  get  the  second"  money  itself  being  of  a  prolific 
nature. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  115 

The  partnership  at  Carolina  having  succeeded,  I  was  en- 
courag'd  to  engage  in  others,  and  to  promote  several  of  my 
workmen,  who  had  behaved  well,  by  establishing  them  with 
printing-houses  in  different  colonies,  on  the  same  terms  with 
that  in  Carolina.  Most  of  them  did  well,  being  enabled  at  the 
end  of  our  term,  six  years,  to  purchase  the  types  of  me  and  go 
on  working  for  themselves,  by  which  means  several  families 
were  raised.  Partnerships  often  finish  in  quarrels ;  but  I  was 
happy  in  this,  that  mine  were  all  carried  on  and  ended  amicably, 
owing,  I  think,  a  good  deal  to  the  precaution  of  having  very 
explicitly  settled,  in  our  articles,  every  thing  to  be  done  by  or 
expected  from  each  partner,  so  that  there  was  nothing  to  dis 
pute,  which  precaution  I  would  therefore  recommend  to  all 
who  enter  into  partnerships ;  for,  whatever  esteem  partners  may 
have  for,  and  confidence  in  each  other  at  the  time  of  the  con 
tract,  little  jealousies  and  disgusts  may  arise,  with  ideas  of  in 
equality  in  the  care  and  burden  of  the  business,  etc.,  which  are 
attended  often  with  breach  of  friendship  and  of  the  connection, 
perhaps  with  lawsuits  and  other  disagreeable  consequences. 

I  had,  on  the  whole,  abundant  reason  to  be  satisfied  with 
my  being  established  in  Pennsylvania.  There  were,  however, 
two  things  that  I  regretted,  there  being  no  provision  for  de 
fense,  nor  for  a  compleat  education  of  youth ;  no  militia,  nor  any 
college.  I  therefore,  in  1 743,  drew  up  a  proposal  for  establish 
ing  an  academy  ;  and  at  that  time,  thinking  the  Reverend  Mr 
Peters,  who  was  out  of  employ,  a  fit  person  to  superintend  such 
an  institution,  I  communicated  the  project  to  him ;  but  he, 
having  more  profitable  views  in  the  service  of  the  proprie 
taries,  which  succeeded,  declined  the  undertaking;  and,  not 
knowing  another  at  that  time  suitable  for  such  a  trust,  I  let  the 
scheme  lie  a  while  dormant.  I  succeeded  better  the  next  year, 
1 744,  in  proposing  and  establishing  a  Philosophical  Society. 
The  paper  I  wrote  for  that  purpose  will  be  found  among  my 
writings,  when  collected. 


n6       THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

With  respect  to  defense,  Spain  having  been  several  years  at 
war  against  Great  Britain,  and  being  at  length  join' d  by  France, 
which  brought  us  into  great  danger ;  and  the  laboured  and  long- 
continued  endeavour  of  our  governor,  Thomas,  to  prevail  with 
our  Quaker  Assembly  to  pass  a  militia  law,  and  make  other  pro 
visions  for  the  security  of  the  province,  having  proved  abortive, 
I  determined  to  try  what  might  be  done  by  a  voluntary  asso 
ciation  of  the  people.  To  promote  this,  I  first  wrote  and  pub 
lished  a  pamphlet,  entitled  PLAIN  TRUTH,  in  which  I  stated 
our  defenceless  situation  in  strong  lights,  with  the  necessity  of 
union  and  discipline  for  our  defense,  and  promis'd  to  propose 
in  a  few  days  an  association,  to  be  generally  signed  for  that  pur 
pose.  The  pamphlet  had  a  sudden  and  surprising  effect.  I  was 
call'd  upon  for  the  instrument  of  association,  and  having  settled 
the  draft  of  it  with  a  few  friends,  I  appointed  a  meeting  of  the 
citizens  in  the  large  building  before  mentioned.  The  house 
was  pretty  full;  I  had  prepared  a  number  of  printed  copies,  and 
provided  pens  and  ink  dispers'd  all  over  the  room.  I  harangued 
them  a  little  on  the  subject,  read  the  paper,  and  explained  it, 
and  then  distributed  the  copies,  which  were  eagerly  signed,  not 
the  least  objection  being  made. 

When  the  company  separated,  and  the  papers  were  collected, 
we  found  above  twelve  hundred  hands ;  and,  other  copies  being 
dispersed  in  the  country,  the  subscribers  amounted  at  length  to 
upward  often  thousand.  These  all  furnished  themselves  as  soon 
as  they  could  with  arms,  formed  themselves  into  companies  and 
regiments,  chose  their  own  officers,  and  met  every  week  to  be 
instructed  in  the  manual  exercise,  and  other  parts  of  military 
discipline.  The  women,  by  subscriptions  among  themselves, 
provided  silk  colors,  which  they  presented  to  the  companies, 
painted  with  different  devices  and  mottos,  which  I  supplied. 

The  officers  of  the  companies  composing  the  Philadelphia 
regiment,  being  met,  chose  me  for  their  colonel ;  but,  con 
ceiving  myself  unfit,  I  declin'd  that  station,  and  recommended 


of  c.'ld  Wotjhd  Stockings,  an  i/J  :hirt,  a  p<:ir  of  Frederick's 
I  mull  .V// ,  [yards  without  c.  Pec,  end  a  narrtnv  Efqj  in  Kin 
'j'-.H'.rg  Ax.  l-l'hotvcr  t.-L~j  up  andftcurcs  the  "d  take  up 
Jiiid 'Servant,  fo  that  his  Muftcr  may  have  him  °£t'n*&  ~ 
again,  Jhall  have  Forty  Sbillittgi  Reward,  and  thereof. 

ible  Charges,  paid  t'y  To    be'Si 


Draw 


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Aken  up  en  the  2\ft  o/Novem.     A  Mgn 

lap,   a  Math    Mure  <H  lib  a  Bridle  n  nd  AAJTjEl1 
'  had  a  Sf.'r  ir.  her  Ycrwcad,       A   LL  Ft 

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and  a  write  Spct  en  each   j'.dc  cf  her  Bad.,    h, 

an    impa-ffS    BrnJ,     enj   is    Shod   all   round. 
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Wbeeoer  bath  bji  fai4  Maret  ty  etfttyitgto 
Wijliam  Hawkings,  a!  thefigntfttt  JolJy  ?ai- 
lor,  in  Front-ftreet,  end  paying  the  Charrett 

may   L.ivt  /•-/•  ^arn. 

©  William  I  Iavv!:i  ngs. 


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Juft    Publifhecl,  ^ 

And.to  he  fold  by  B.    FRANKLIN,    the  follow  ,£/„„.' 

ing  B  O  O  K  S,  c'*fe, 

I.  HpHc  POCKET  ALMANACK,  

A     for  :he  Year  i  745. 

JI.  7J  A  ME  L  A ':  or  VIRTUE  rt-s.crdtd.  Inn 

•  ,/  I- A  MIL  1AR  LETTERS 

frcn:  a  I'L'.nt'iful -.oiir.g  Damfil,     to  htr   Parents. 

N*W  jit >•/?   Pvhlij.ied,     in   order  to  c:<l:iifite  the 

Priticipltt  of  \\rt\icand  Religion  in  tke  Blinds 

of  the  Youth  f/'both  Sexes. 

A  A^/w;/;-7.  --.blrh  has  its  Foundation  in  Truth 
and  N.lture  ;  and  at  the  fame  time  that  it  a- 
£m <•//>•  rt;tcrf,'ins,  /•>'  f.  I'tiridv  of  curious 
/w/./afieotinr  INCIDENT?,  is  intin/y  divclhd 

•*  » 

rfi'f/t1'  .     TI  hieh,    in  too  nuiny  Pie 

ces,  .       J  for  Amufement  only,     tend  to 

infb.rrK-     /'t     Mind*    they    Jbmld    inftruft. 
Price  6  5. 
III. 


Kow  fittir 
againll  } 
with  the 


PHILADELPHIA: 


Printed  by 

PRINTING- 


ADVERTISEMENT  OF  "PAMELA,"  PUBLISHED  BY  FRANKLIN 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  117 

Mr  Lawrence,  a  fine  person,  a  man  of  influence,  who  was  ac 
cordingly  appointed.  I  then  proposed  a  lottery  to  defray  the 
expense  of  building  a  battery  below  the  town,  and  furnishing 
it  with  cannon.  It  filled  expeditiously,  and  the  battery  was 
soon  erected,  the  merlons  being  fram'd  of  logs  and  filled  with 
earth.  We  bought  some  old  cannon  from  Boston,  but,  these 
not  being  sufficient,  we  wrote  to  England  for  more,  soliciting, 
at  the  same  time,  our  proprietaries  for  some  assistance,  tho' 
without  much  expectation  of  obtaining  it. 

Meanwhile,  Colonel  Lawrence,  William  Allen,  Abram 
Taylor,  Esqr.,  and  myself  were  sent  to  New  York  by  the  asso- 
ciators,  commission'd  to  borrow  some  cannon  of  Governor 
Clinton.  He  at  first  refused  us  peremptorily;  but  at  dinner 
with  his  council,  where  there  was  great  drinking  of  Madeira 
wine,  as  the  custom  of  that  place  then  was,  he  softened  by 
degrees,  and  said  he  would  lend  us  six.  After  a  few  more  bum 
pers  he  advanced  to  ten ;  and  at  length  he  very  good-naturedly 
conceded  eighteen.  They  were  fine  cannon,  eighteen-pounders, 
with  their  carriages,  which  we  soon  transported  and  mounted 
on  our  battery,  where  the  associators  kept  a  nightly  guard  while 
the  war  lasted,  and  among  the  rest  I  regularly  took  my  turn  of 
duty  there  as  a  common  soldier. 

My  activity  in  these  operations  was  agreeable  to  the  gov 
ernor  and  council ;  they  took  me  into  confidence,  and  I  was 
consulted  by  them  in  every  measure  wherein  their  concurrence 
was  thought  useful  to  the  association.  Calling  in  the  aid  of 
religion,  I  propos'd  to  them  the  proclaiming  a  fast,  to  promote 
reformation,  and  implore  the  blessing  of  Heaven  on  our  un 
dertaking.  They  embrac'd  the  motion ;  but,  as  it  was  the  first 
fast  ever  thought  of  in  the  province,  the  secretary  had  no  pre 
cedent  from  which  to  draw  the  proclamation.  My  education  in 
New  England,  where  a  fast  is  proclaimed  every  year,  was  here 
of  some  advantage  :  I  drew  it  in  the  accustomed  stile,  it  was 
translated  into  German,  printed  in  both  languages,  and  divulg'd 


n8      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

thro'  the  province.  This  gave  the  clergy  of  the  different  sects 
an  opportunity  of  influencing  their  congregations  to  join  in  the 
association,  and  it  would  probably  have  been  general  among 
all  but  Quakers  if  the  peace  had  not  soon  inter  ven'd. 

It  was  thought  by  some  of  my  friends  that,  by  my  activity 
in  these  affairs,  I  should  offend  that  sect,  and  thereby  lose  my 
interest  in  the  Assembly  of  the  province,  where  they  formed 
a  great  majority.  A  young  gentleman  who  had  likewise  some 
friends  in  the  House,  and  wished  to  succeed  me  as  their  clerk, 
acquainted  me  that  it  was  decided  to  displace  me  at  the  next 
election;  and  he,  therefore,  in  good  will,  advis'd  me  to  resign, 
as  more  consistent  with  my  honour  than  being  turn'd  out.  My 
answer  to  him  was,  that  I  had  read  or  heard  of  some  public 
man  who  made  it  a  rule  never  to  ask  for  an  office,  and  never  to 
refuse  one  when  offer'd  to  him.  "  I  approve,"  says  I,  "  of  this 
rule,  and  will  practice  it  with  a  small  addition ;  I  shall  never 
ask,  never  refuse,  nor  ever  resign  an  office.  If  they  will  have  my 
office  of  clerk  to  dispose  of  to  another,  they  shall  take  it  from 
me.  I  will  not,  by  giving  it  up,  lose  my  right  of  some  time  or 
other  making  reprisals  on  my  adversaries."  I  heard,  however, 
no  more  of  this ;  I  was  chosen  again  unanimously  as  usual  at 
the  next  election.  Possibly,  as  they  dislik'd  my  late  intimacy 
with  the  members  of  council,  who  had  join'd  the  governors  in 
all  the  disputes  about  military  preparations,  with  which  the 
House  had  long  been  harass' d,  they  might  have  been  pleas' d  if 
I  would  voluntarily  have  left  them  ;  but  they  did  not  care  to 
displace  me  on  account  merely  of  my  zeal  for  the  association, 
and  they  could  not  well  give  another  reason. 

Indeed  I  had  some  cause  to  believe  that  the  defense  of  the 
country  was  not  disagreeable  to  any  of  them,  provided  they 
were  not  requir'd  to  assist  in  it.  And  I  found  that  a  much 
greater  number  of  them  than  I  could  have  imagined,  tho' 
against  offensive  war,  were  clearly  for  the  defensive.  Many 
pamphlets  pro  and  con  were  publish'd  on  the  subject,  and  some 


N    of  .the  Town  and  Harbour  of  JjQU  IS  BU  RG  H. 


l^r^-^S 

•*:•£??••  &~'1    .'  -V  •'•.•*  i .       '  \    -  '     -    tv 
•%..- VV^«-   •  5  VV    \'     •  /,-  U'^   -       ->Nsi 


MAP    OF    THE    SIEGE    OF    LOUISBURG 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          119 

by  good  Quakers,  in  favour  of  the  defense,  which  I  believe 
convinced  most  of  their  younger  people. 

A  transaction  in  our  fire  company  gave  me  some  insight  into 
their  prevailing  sentiments.  It  had  been  propos'd  that  we 
should  encourage  the  scheme  for  building  a  battery  by  laying 
out  the  present  stock,  then  about  sixty  pounds,  in  tickets  of  the 
lottery.  By  our  rules,  no  money  could  be  dispos'd  of  till  the 
next  meeting  after  the  proposal.  The  company  consisted  of 
thirty  members,  of  which  twenty-two  were  Quakers,  and  eight 
only  of  other  persuasions.  We  eight  punctually  attended  the 
meeting ;  but,  tho'  we  thought  that  some  of  the  Quakers  would 
join  us,  we  were  by  no  means  sure  of  a  majority.  Only  one 
Quaker,  Mr  James  Morris,  appear'd  to  oppose  the  measure. 
He  expressed  much  sorrow  that  it  had  ever  been  propos'd,  as 
he  said  Friends  were  all  against  it,  and  it  would  create  such 
discord  as  might  break  up  the  company.  We  told  him  that 
we  saw  no  reason  for  that;  we  were  the  minority,  and  if  Friends 
were  against  the  measure,  and  outvoted  us,  we  must  and  should, 
agreeably  to  the  usage  of  all  societies,  submit.  When  the  hour 
for  business  arriv'd  it  was  mov'd  to  put  the  vote ;  he  allow'd 
we  might  then  do  it  by  the  rules,  but,  as  he  could  assure  us  that 
a  number  of  members  intended  to  be  present  for  the  purpose 
of  opposing  it,  it  would  be  but  candid  to  allow  a  little  time  for 
their  appearing. 

While  we  were  disputing  this,  a  waiter  came  to  tell  me  two 
gentlemen  below  desir'd  to  speak  with  me.  I  went  down,  and 
found  they  were  two  of  our  Quaker  members.  They  told  me 
there  were  eight  of  them  assembled  at  a  tavern  just  by;  that 
they  were  determin'd  to  come  and  vote  with  us  if  there  should 
be  occasion,  which  they  hop'd  would  not  be  the  case,  and 
desir'd  we  would  not  call  for  their  assistance  if  we  could  do 
without  it,  as  their  voting  for  such  a  measure  might  embroil 
them  with  their  elders  and  friends.  Being  thus  secure  of  a 
majority,  I  went  up,  and  after  a  little  seeming  hesitation,  agreed 


iao      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

to  a  delay  of  another  hour.  This  Mr  Morris  allow' d  to  be  ex- 
treamlyfair.  Not  one  of  his  opposing  friends  appear'd,  at  which 
he  express'd  great  surprize  ;  and,  at  the  expiration  of  the  hour, 
we  carry'd  the  resolution  eight  to  one;  and  as,  of  the  twenty- 
two  Quakers,  eight  were  ready  to  vote  with  us,  and  thirteen, 
by  their  absence,  manifested  that  they  were  not  inclin'd  to 
oppose  the  measure,  I  afterward  estimated  the  proportion  of 
Quakers  sincerely  against  defense  as  one  to  twenty-one  only  ; 
for  these  were  all  regular  members  of  that  society,  and  in  good 
reputation  among  them,  and  had  due  notice  of  what  was  pro- 
pos'd  at  that  meeting. 

The  honorable  and  learn'd  Mr  Logan,  who  had  always  been 
of  that  sect,  was  one  who  wrote  an  address  to  them,  declaring 
his  approbation  of  defensive  war,  and  supporting  his  opinion  by 
many  strong  arguments.  He  put  into  my  hands  sixty  pounds  to 
be  laid  out  in  lottery  tickets  for  the  battery,  with  directions 
to  apply  what  prizes  might  be  drawn  wholly  to  that  service. 
He  told  me  the  following  anecdote  of  his  old  master,  William 
Penn,  respecting  defense.  He  came  over  from  England,  when 
a  young  man,  with  that  proprietary,  and  as  his  secretary.  It 
was  war-time,  and  their  ship  was  chas'd  by  an  arm'd  vessel, 
suppos'd  to  be  an  enemy.  Their  captain  prepar'd  for  defense ; 
but  told  William  Penn,  and  his  company  of  Quakers,  that  he 
did  not  expect  their  assistance,  and  they  might  retire  into  the 
cabin,  which  they  did,  except  James  Logan,  who  chose  to  stay 
upon  deck,  and  was  quarter 'd  to  a  gun.  The  suppos'd  enemy 
prov'd  a  friend,  so  there  was  no  fighting ;  but  when  the  sec 
retary  went  down  to  communicate  the  intelligence,  William 
Penn  rebuk'd  him  severely  for  staying  upon  deck,  and  under 
taking  to  assist  in  defending  the  vessel,  contrary  to  the  prin 
ciples  of  Friends ,  especially  as  it  had  not  been  required  by  the 
captain.  This  reproof,  being  before  all  the  company,  piqu'd 
the  secretary,  who  answer 'd,  "  I  being  thy  servant,  why  did  thee 
not  order  me  to  come  down  ?  But  thee  was  willing  enough  that  I 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          121 

should  stay  and  help  to  fight  the  ship  when  thee  thought  there  was 
danger" 

My  being  many  years  in  the  Assembly,  the  majority  of 
which  were  constantly  Quakers,  gave  me  frequent  opportun 
ities  of  seeing  the  embarrassment  given  them  by  their  prin 
ciple  against  war,  whenever  application  was  made  to  them,  by 
order  of  the  crown,  to  grant  aids  for  military  purposes.  They 
were  unwilling  to  offend  government,  on  the  one  hand,  by  a 
direct  refusal ;  and  their  friends,  the  body  of  the  Quakers,  on 
the  other,  by  a  compliance  contrary  to  their  principles;  hence 
a  variety  of  evasions  to  avoid  complying,  and  modes  of  disguis 
ing  the  compliance  when  it  became  unavoidable.  The  com 
mon  mode  at  last  was,  to  grant  money  under  the  phrase  of  its 
being  "for  the  king's  use"  and  never  to  inquire  how  it  was 
applied. 

But,  if  the  demand  was  not  directly  from  the  crown,  that 
phrase  was  found  not  so  proper,  and  some  other  was  to  be  in 
vented.  As,  when  powder  was  wanting  (I  think  it  was  for  the 
garrison  at  Lewisburg),  and  the  government  of  New  England 
solicited  a  grant  of  some  from  Pennsilvania,  which  was  much 
urg'd  on  the  House  by  Governor  Thomas,  they  could  not  grant 
money  to  buy  powder,  because  that  was  an  ingredient  of  war ; 
but  they  voted  an  aid  to  New  England  of  three  thousand  pounds, 
to  be  put  into  the  hands  of  the  governor,  and  appropriated  it  for 
the  purchasing  of  bread,  flour,  wheat,  or  other  grain.  Some 
of  the  council,  desirous  of  giving  the  House  still  further  em 
barrassment,  advis'd  the  governor  not  to  accept  provision,  as 
not  being  the  thing  he  had  demanded;  but  he  reply' d, "  I  shall 
take  the  money,  for  I  understand  very  well  their  meaning ; 
other  grain  is  gunpowder,"  which  he  accordingly  bought,  and 
they  never  objected  to  it.1 

It  was  in  allusion  to  this  fact  that,  when  in  our  fire  com 
pany  we  feared  the  success  of  our  proposal  in  favour  of  the 

1  See  the  votes.  —  Marg.  note. 


122      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

lottery,  and  I  had  said  to  my  friend  Mr  Syng,  one  of  our  mem 
bers,  "  If  we  fail,  let  us  move  the  purchase  of  a  fire-engine  with 
the  money;  the  Quakers  can  have  no  objection  to  that ;  and 
then,  if  you  nominate  me  and  I  you  as  a  committee  for  that 
purpose,  we  will  buy  a  great  gun,  which  is  certainly  a  fire- 
engine."  "  I  see,"  says  he, "  you  have  improv'd  by  being  so  long 
in  the  Assembly;  your  equivocal  project  would  be  just  a  match 
for  their  wheat  or  other  grain" 

These  embarrassments  that  the  Quakers  sufFer'd  from  having 
established  and  published  it  as  one  of  their  principles  that  no 
kind  of  war  was  lawful,  and  which,  being  once  published,  they 
could  not  afterwards,  however  they  might  change  their  minds, 
easily  get  rid  of,  reminds  me  of  what  I  think  a  more  prudent 
conduct  in  another  sect  among  us,  that  of  the  Dunkers.  I  was 
acquainted  with  one  of  its  founders,  Michael  Welfare,  soon 
after  it  appear 'd.  He  complain' d  to  me  that  they  were  griev 
ously  calumniated  by  the  zealots  of  other  persuasions,  and 
charg'd  with  abominable  principles  and  practices,  to  which 
they  were  utter  strangers.  I  told  him  this  had  always  been 
the  case  with  new  sects,  and  that,  to  put  a  stop  to  such  abuse, 
I  imagined  it  might  be  well  to  publish  the  articles  of  their 
belief,  and  the  rules  of  their  discipline.  He  said  that  it  had 
been  propos'd  among  them,  but  not  agreed  to,  for  this  reason: 
"When  we  were  first  drawn  together  as  a  society,"  says  he, 
"  it  had  pleased  God  to  enlighten  our  minds  so  far  as  to  see  that 
some  doctrines,  which  we  once  esteemed  truths,  were  errors ; 
and  that  others,  which  we  had  esteemed  errors,  were  real  truths. 
From  time  to  time  He  has  been  pleased  to  afford  us  farther 
light,  and  our  principles  have  been  improving,  and  our  errors 
diminishing.  Now  we  are  not  sure  that  we  are  arrived  at  the 
end  of  this  progression,  and  at  the  perfection  of  spiritual  or  the 
ological  knowledge ;  and  we  fear  that,  if  we  should  once  print 
our  confession  of  faith,  we  should  feel  ourselves  as  if  bound  and 
confin'd  by  it,  and  perhaps  be  unwilling  to  receive  further 


1 
M.T.CICERO's 

CAW  MAJOR, 

O  R      II  I  S 

D  I  S  C  O  1*<R  S  E 

OLD- AGE: 

With  Explanatory  NOTES. 


PHILADELPHIA  : 

Printed  and  Sold   by  B.  FRANKLIN, 
MDCCXLIV. 


TITLE-PAGE    OF    CATO    MAJOR 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          123 

improvement,  and  our  successors  still  more  so,  as  conceiving 
what  we  their  elders  and  founders  had  done,  to  be  something 
sacred,  never  to  be  departed  from.'* 

This  modesty  in  a  sect  is  perhaps  a  singular  instance  in  the 
history  of  mankind,  every  other  sect  supposing  itself  in  posses 
sion  of  all  truth,  and  that  those  who  differ  are  so  far  in  the 
wrong ;  like  a  man  traveling  in  foggy  weather,  those  at  some 
distance  before  him  on  the  road  he  sees  wrapped  up  in  the  fog, 
as  well  as  those  behind  him,  and  also  the  people  in  the  fields 
on  each  side,  but  near  him  all  appears  clear,  tho'  in  truth  he 
is  as  much  in  the  fog  as  any  of  them.  To  avoid  this  kind  of 
embarrassment,  the  Quakers  have  of  late  years  been  gradually 
declining  the  public  service  in  the  Assembly  and  in  the  mag 
istracy,  choosing  rather  to  quit  their  power  than  their  prin 
ciple. 

In  order  of  time,  I  should  have  mentioned  before,  that  having, 
in  1742,  invented  an  open  stove  for  the  better  warming  of 
rooms,  and  at  the  same  time  saving  fuel,  as  the  fresh  air  admit 
ted  was  warmed  in  entering,  I  made  a  present  of  the  model  to 
Mr  Robert  Grace,  one  of  my  early  friends,  who,  having  an 
iron-furnace,  found  the  casting  of  the  plates  for  these  stoves 
a  profitable  thing,  as  they  were  growing  in  demand.  To  pro 
mote  that  demand,  I  wrote  and  published  a  pamphlet,  entitled 
"An  account  of  the  new-invented  Pennsylvania  Fireplaces;  wherein 
their  Construction  and  Manner  of  Operation  is  particularly  explained; 
their  Advantages  above  every  other  Method  of  warming  Rooms  de 
monstrated;  and  all  Objections  that  have  been  raised  against  the 
Use  of  them  answered  and  obviated"  etc.  This  pamphlet  had  a 
good  effect.  Gov'r.  Thomas  was  so  pleas' d  with  the  construc 
tion  of  this  stove,  as  described  in  it,  that  he  offered  to  give  me 
a  patent  for  the  sole  vending  of  them  for  a  term  of  years ;  but 
I  declin'd  it  from  a  principle  which  has  ever  weighed  with 
me  on  such  occasions,  viz.,  That,  as  we  enjoy  great  advantages 
from  the  inventions  of  others 9  we  should  be  glad  of  an  opportunity 


12,4       THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

to  serve  others  by  an  invention  of  ours ;  and  this  we  should  do  freely 
and  generously. 

An  ironmonger  in  London,  however,  assuming  a  good  deal 
of  my  pamphlet,  and  working  it  up  into  his  own,  and  making 
some  small  changes  in  the  machine,  which  rather  hurt  its  oper 
ation,  got  a  patent  for  it  there,  and  made,  as  I  was  told,  a  little 
fortune  by  it.  And  this  is  not  the  only  instance  of  patents  taken 
out  for  my  inventions  by  others,  tho'  not  always  with  the  same 
success,  which  I  never  contested,  as  having  no  desire  of  profit 
ing  by  patents  myself,  and  hating  disputes.  The  use  of  these 
fireplaces  in  very  many  houses,  both  of  this  and  the  neighbour 
ing  colonies,  has  been,  and  is,  a  great  saving  of  wood  to  the 
inhabitants. 

Peace  being  concluded,  and  the  association  business  there 
fore  at  an  end,  I  turn'd  my  thoughts  again  to  the  affair  of  estab 
lishing  an  academy.  The  first  step  I  took  was  to  associate 
in  the  design  a  number  of  active  friends,  of  whom  the  Junto 
furnished  a  good  part;  the  next  was  to  write  and  publish  a 
pamphlet,  entitled  Proposals  Relating  to  the  Education  of  Youth 
in  Pennsylvania.  This  I  distributed  among  the  principal  inhab 
itants  gratis ;  and  as  soon  as  I  could  suppose  their  minds  a  little 
prepared  by  the  perusal  of  it,  I  set  on  foot  a  subscription  for 
opening  and  supporting  an  academy;  it  was  to  be  paid  in  quotas 
yearly  for  five  years ;  by  so  dividing  it,  I  judg'd  the  subscription 
might  be  larger,  and  I  believed  it  was  so,  amounting  to  no  less, 
if  I  remember  right,  than  five  thousand  pounds. 

In  the  introduction  to  these  proposals,  I  stated  their  publica 
tion,  not  as  an  act  of  mine,  but  of  some  publick-spiri ted  gentle- 
men,  avoiding  as  much  as  I  could,  according  to  my  usual  rule, 
the  presenting  myself  to  the  publick  as  the  author  of  any  scheme 
for  their  benefit. 

The  subscribers,  to  carry  the  project  into  immediate  execu 
tion,  chose  out  of  their  number  twenty-four  trustees,  and  ap 
pointed  Mr  Francis,  then  attorney-general,  and  myself  to  draw 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  125 

up  constitutions  for  the  government  of  the  academy ;  which 
being  done  and  signed,  a  house  was  hired,  masters  engag'd,  and 
the  schools  opened,  I  think,  in  the  same  year,  1749. 

The  scholars  increasing  fast,  the  house  was  soon  found  too 
small,  and  we  were  looking  out  for  a  piece  of  ground,  properly 
situated,  with  intention  to  build,  when  Providence  threw  into 
our  way  a  large  house  ready  built,  which,  with  a  few  altera 
tions,  might  well  serve  our  purpose.  This  was  the  building 
before  mentioned,  erected  by  the  hearers  of  Mr  Whitefield, 
and  was  obtained  for  us  in  the  following  manner. 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  contributions  to  this  building  being 
made  by  people  of  different  sects,  care  was  taken  in  the  nom 
ination  of  trustees,  in  whom  the  building  and  ground  was  to 
be  vested,  that  a  predominancy  should  not  be  given  to  any  sect, 
lest  in  time  that  predominancy  might  be  a  means  of  appropri 
ating  the  whole  to  the  use  of  such  sect,  contrary  to  the  original 
intention.  It  was  therefore  that  one  of  each  sect  was  appointed, 
viz.,  one  Church-of-England  man,  one  Presbyterian,  one  Bap 
tist,  one  Moravian,  etc.,  those,  in  case  of  vacancy  by  death, 
were  to  fill  it  by  election  from  among  the  contributors.  The 
Moravian  happen' d  not  to  please  his  colleagues,  and  on  his 
death  they  resolved  to  have  no  other  of  that  sect.  The  diffi 
culty  then  was,  how  to  avoid  having  two  of  some  other  sect,  by 
means  of  the  new  choice. 

Several  persons  were  named,  and  for  that  reason  not  agreed 
to.  At  length  one  mention' d  me,  with  the  observation  that  I 
was  merely  an  honest  man,  and  of  no  sect  at  all,  which  pre 
vail' d  with  them  to  chuse  me.  The  enthusiasm  which  existed 
when  the  house  was  built  had  long  since  abated,  and  its  trustees 
had  not  been  able  to  procure  fresh  contributions  for  paying  the 
ground-rent,  and  discharging  some  other  debts  the  building 
had  occasion' d,  which  embarrass'd  them  greatly.  Being  now 
a  member  of  both  setts  of  trustees,  that  for  the  building  and 
that  for  the  academy,  I  had  a  good  opportunity  of  negotiating 


126      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

with  both,  and  brought  them  finally  to  an  agreement,  by  which 
the  trustees  for  the  building  were  to  cede  it  to  those  of  the  acad 
emy,  the  latter  undertaking  to  discharge  the  debt,  to  keep  for 
ever  open  in  the  building  a  large  hall  for  occasional  preachers, 
according  to  the  original  intention,  and  maintain  a  free-school 
for  the  instruction  of  poor  children.  Writings  were  accord 
ingly  drawn,  and  on  paying  the  debts  the  trustees  of  the  acad 
emy  were  put  in  possession  of  the  premises ;  and  by  dividing 
the  great  and  lofty  hall  into  stories,  and  different  rooms  above 
and  below  for  the  several  schools,  and  purchasing  some  addi 
tional  ground,  the  whole  was  soon  made  fit  for  our  purpose, 
and  the  scholars  remov'd  into  the  building.  The  care  and  trou 
ble  of  agreeing  with  the  workmen,  purchasing  materials,  and 
superintending  the  work,  fell  upon  me;  and  I  went  thro'  it  the 
more  cheerfully,  as  it  did  not  then  interfere  with  my  private 
business,  having  the  year  before  taken  a  very  able,  industrious, 
and  honest  partner,  Mr  David  Hall,  with  whose  character  I 
was  well  acquainted,  as  he  had  work'd  for  me  four  years.  He 
took  off  my  hands  all  the  care  of  the  printing-office,  paying 
me  punctually  my  share  of  the  profits.  The  partnership  con 
tinued  eighteen  years,  successfully  for  us  both. 

The  trustees  of  the  academy,  after  a  while,  were  incorpo 
rated  by  a  charter  from  the  governor ;  their  funds  were  in- 
creas'd  by  contributions  in  Britain  and  grants  of  land  from  the 
proprietaries,  to  which  the  Assembly  has  since  made  consid 
erable  addition ;  and  thus  was  established  the  present  University 
of  Philadelphia.  I  have  been  continued  one  of  its  trustees  from 
the  beginning,  now  near  forty  years,  and  have  had  the  very 
great  pleasure  of  seeing  a  number  of  the  youth  who  have  re- 
ceiv'd  their  education  in  it,  distinguished  by  their  improv'd 
abilities,  serviceable  in  public  stations,  and  ornaments  to  their 
country. 

When  I  disengaged  myself,  as  above  mentioned,  from  private 
business,  I  flatter' d  myself  that,  by  the  sufficient  tho'  moderate 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          127 

fortune  I  had  acquir'd,  I  had  secured  leisure  during  the  rest 
of  my  life  for  philosophical  studies  and  amusements.  I  pur 
chased  all  Dr  Spence's  apparatus,  who  had  come  from  England 
to  lecture  here,  and  I  proceeded  in  my  electrical  experiments 
with  great  alacrity ;  but  the  publick,  now  considering  me  as 
a  man  of  leisure,  laid  hold  of  me  for  their  purposes,  every 
part  of  our  civil  government,  and  almost  at  the  same  time, 
imposing  some  duty  upon  me.  The  governor  put  me  into  the 
commission  of  the  peace ;  the  corporation  of  the  city  chose 
me  of  the  common  council,  and  soon  after  an  alderman ;  and 
the  citizens  at  large  chose  me  a  burgess  to  represent  them  in 
Assembly.  This  latter  station  was  the  more  agreeable  to  me, 
as  I  was  at  length  tired  with  sitting  there  to  hear  debates,  in 
which,  as  clerk,  I  could  take  no  part,  and  which  were  often  so 
unentertaining  that  I  was  indue' d  to  amuse  myself  with  mak 
ing  magic  squares  or  circles,  or  anything  to  avoid  weariness ; 
and  I  conceiv'd  my  becoming  a  member  would  enlarge  my 
power  of  doing  good.  I  would  not,  however,  insinuate  that 
my  ambition  was  not  flatter'd  by  all  these  promotions ;  it  cer 
tainly  was ;  for,  considering  my  low  beginning,  they  were  great 
things  to  me ;  and  they  were  still  more  pleasing,  as  being  so 
many  spontaneous  testimonies  of  the  public  good  opinion,  and 
by  me  entirely  unsolicited. 

The  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  I  try'd  a  little,  by  attend 
ing  a  few  courts,  and  sitting  on  the  bench  to  hear  causes ;  but 
rinding  that  more  knowledge  of  the  common  law  than  I  pos 
sess' d  was  necessary  to  act  in  that  station  with  credit,  I  gradu 
ally  withdrew  from  it,  excusing  myself  by  my  being  oblig'd  to 
attend  the  higher  duties  of  a  legislator  in  the  Assembly.  My 
election  to  this  trust  was  repeated  every  year  for  ten  years, 
without  my  ever  asking  any  elector  for  his  vote,  or  signifying, 
either  directly  or  indirectly,  any  desire  of  being  chosen.  On 
taking  my  seat  in  the  House,  my  son  was  appointed  their 
clerk. 


12,8      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

The  year  following,  a  treaty  being  to  be  held  with  the 
Indians  at  Carlisle,  the  governor  sent  a  message  to  the  House, 
proposing  that  they  should  nominate  some  of  their  members, 
to  be  join'd  with  some  members  of  the  council,  as  commis 
sioners  for  that  purpose.1  The  House  named  the  speaker  (Mr 
Norris)  and  myself;  and,  being  commission' d,  we  went  to 
Carlisle,  and  met  the  Indians  accordingly. 

As  those  people  are  extreamly  apt  to  get  drunk,  and,  when 
so,  are  very  quarrelsome  and  disorderly,  we  strictly  forbad  the 
selling  any  liquor  to  them;  and  when  they  complain'd  of  this 
restriction,  we  told  them  that  if  they  would  continue  sober 
during  the  treaty,  we  would  give  them  plenty  of  rum  when 
business  was  over.  They  promis'd  this,  and  they  kept  their 
promise,  because  they  could  get  no  liquor,  and  the  treaty  was 
conducted  very  orderly,  and  concluded  to  mutual  satisfaction. 
They  then  claim'd  and  receiv'd  the  rum ;  this  was  in  the  after 
noon:  there  were  near  one  hundred  men,  women,  and  children, 
and  were  lodg'd  in  temporary  cabins,  built  in  the  form  of  a 
square,  just  without  the  town.  In  the  evening,  hearing  a  great 
noise  among  them,  the  commissioners  walk'd  out  to  see  what 
was  the  matter.  We  found  they  had  made  a  great  bonfire  in 
the  middle  of  the  square ;  they  were  all  drunk,  men  and  women, 
quarreling  and  fighting.  Their  dark-colour' d  bodies,  half  naked, 
seen  only  by  the  gloomy  light  of  the  bonfire,  running  after  and 
beating  one  another  with  firebrands,  accompanied  by  their 
horrid  yellings,  form'd  a  scene  the  most  resembling  our  ideas 
of  hell  that  could  well  be  imagin'd ;  there  was  no  appeasing  the 
tumult,  and  we  retired  to  our  lodging.  At  midnight  a  num 
ber  of  them  came  thundering  at  our  door,  demanding  more 
rum,  of  which  we  took  no  notice. 

The  next  day,  sensible  they  had  misbehav'd  in  giving  us  that 
disturbance,  they  sent  three  of  their  old  counselors  to  make 
their  apology.  The  orator  acknowledg'd  the  fault,  but  laid  it 

1  See  the  votes  to  have  this  more  correctly.  —  Marg.  note. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  129 

upon  the  rum  ;  and  then  endeavored  to  excuse  the  rum  by  say 
ing,  "  The  Great  Spirit,  who  made  all  things,  made  every  thing  for 
some  use,  and  'whatever  use  he  designed  any  thing  for,  that  use  it 
should  always  be  put  to.  Now,  when  he  made  rum,  he  said,  '  Let 
this  be  for  the  Indians  to  get  drunk  with,'  and  it  must  be  so."  And, 
indeed,  if  it  be  the  design  of  Providence  to  extirpate  these 
savages  in  order  to  make  room  for  cultivators  of  the  earth,  it 
seems  not  improbable  that  rum  may  be  the  appointed  means. 
It  has  already  annihilated  all  the  tribes  who  formerly  inhabited 
the  sea-coast. 

In  1751,  Dr  Thomas  Bond,  a  particular  friend  of  mine, 
conceived  the  idea  of  establishing  a  hospital  in  Philadelphia 
(a  very  beneficent  design,  which  has  been  ascrib'd  to  me,  but 
was  originally  his),  for  the  reception  and  cure  of  poor  sick 
persons,  whether  inhabitants  of  the  province  or  strangers. 
He  was  zealous  and  active  in  endeavouring  to  procure  sub 
scriptions  for  it,  but  the  proposal  being  a  novelty  in  Amer 
ica,  and  at  first  not  well  understood,  he  met  with  but  small 
success. 

At  length  he  came  to  me  with  the  compliment  that  he  found 
there  was  no  such  thing  as  carrying  a  public-spirited  project 
through  without  my  being  concern* d  in  it.  "  For,"  says  he, 
"  I  am  often  ask'd  by  those  to  whom  I  propose  subscribing, 
Have  you  consulted  Franklin  upon  this  business  ?  And  what 
does  he  think  of  it  ?  And  when  I  tell  them  that  I  have  not 
(supposing  it  rather  out  of  your  line),  they  do  not  subscribe, 
but  say  they  will  consider  of  it."  I  enquired  into  the  nature  and 
probable  utility  of  his  scheme,  and  receiving  from  him  a  very 
satisfactory  explanation,  I  not  only  subscrib'd  to  it  myself,  but 
engag'd  heartily  in  the  design  of  procuring  subscriptions  from 
others.  Previously,  however,  to  the  solicitation,  I  endeavoured 
to  prepare  the  minds  of  the  people  by  writing  on  the  subject 
in  the  newspapers,  which  was  my  usual  custom  in  such  cases, 
but  which  he  had  omitted. 


130      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

The  subscriptions  afterwards  were  more  free  and  generous ; 
but,  beginning  to  flag,  I  saw  they  would  be  insufficient  without 
some  assistance  from  the  Assembly,  and  therefore  propos'd  to 
petition  for  it,  which  was  done.  The  country  members  did 
not  at  first  relish  the  project;  they  objected  that  it  could 
only  be  serviceable  to  the  city,  and  therefore  the  citizens  alone 
should  be  at  the  expense  of  it ;  and  they  doubted  whether 
the  citizens  themselves  generally  approv'd  of  it.  My  allega 
tion,  on  the  contrary,  that  it  met  with  such  approbation  as  to 
leave  no  doubt  of  our  being  able  to  raise  two  thousand  pounds 
by  voluntary  donations,  they  considered  as  a  most  extravagant 
supposition,  and  utterly  impossible. 

On  this  I  form'd  my  plan ;  and,  asking  leave  to  bring  in  a 
bill  for  incorporating  the  contributors  according  to  the  prayer 
of  their  petition,  and  granting  them  a  blank  sum  of  money, 
which  leave  was  obtained  chiefly  on  the  consideration  that  the 
House  could  throw  the  bill  out  if  they  did  not  like  it,  I  drew 
it  so  as  to  make  the  important  clause  a  conditional  one,  viz., 
"  And  be  it  enacted,  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  that  when  the 
said  contributors  shall  have  met  and  chosen  their  managers  and 
treasurer,  and  shall  have  raised  by  their  contributions  a  capital  stock 

of value  (the  yearly  interest  of  which  is  to  be  applied  to 

the  accommodating  of  the  sick  poor  in  the  said  hospital,  free 
of  charge  for  diet,  attendance,  advice  and  medicines),  and  shall 
make  the  same  appear  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  speaker  of  the  Assem 
bly  for  the  time  being,  that  then  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  for  the 
said  speaker,  and  he  is  hereby  required,  to  sign  an  order  on  the 
provincial  treasurer  for  the  payment  of  two  thousand  pounds, 
in  two  yearly  payments,  to  the  treasurer  of  the  said  hospital, 
to  be  applied  to  the  founding,  building,  and  finishing  the  same." 

This  condition  carried  the  bill  through  ;  for  the  members, 
who  had  oppos'd  the  grant,  and  now  conceived  they  might 
have  the  credit  of  being  charitable  without  the  experience, 
agreed  to  its  passage;  and  then,  in  soliciting  subscriptions 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  131 

among  the  people,  we  urg'd  the  conditional  promise  of  the 
law  as  an  additional  motive  to  give,  since  every  man's  donation 
would  be  doubled  ;  thus  the  clause  work'd  both  ways.  The 
subscriptions  accordingly  soon  exceeded  the  requisite  sum,  and 
we  claim'd  and  receiv'd  the  public  gift,  which  enabled  us  to 
carry  the  design  into  execution.  A  convenient  and  handsome 
building  was  soon  erected ;  the  institution  has  by  constant  ex 
perience  been  found  useful,  and  flourishes  to  this  day ;  and  I 
do  not  remember  any  of  my  political  manoeuvres,  the  success 
of  which  gave  me  at  the  time  more  pleasure,  or  wherein,  after 
thinking  of  it,  I  more  easily  excus'd  myself  for  having  made 
some  use  of  cunning. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  another  projector,  the  Rev.  Gil 
bert  Tennent,  came  to  me  with  a  request  that  I  would  assist 
him  in  procuring  a  subscription  for  erecting  a  new  meeting 
house.  It  was  to  be  for  the  use  of  the  congregation  he  had 
gathered  among  the  Presbyterians,  who  were  originally  disci 
ples  of  Mr  Whitefield.  Unwilling  to  make  myself  disagree 
able  to  my  fellow-citizens  by  too  frequently  soliciting  their 
contributions,  I  absolutely  refus'd.  He  then  desired  I  would 
furnish  him  with  a  list  of  the  names  of  persons  I  knew  by 
experience  to  be  generous  and  public-spirited.  I  thought  it 
would  be  unbecoming  in  me,  after  their  kind  compliance  with 
my  solicitations,  to  mark  them  out  to  be  worried  by  other  beg 
gars,  and  therefore  refus'd  also  to  give  such  a  list.  He  then 
desir'd  I  would  at  least  give  him  my  advice.  "That  I  will 
readily  do,"  said  I ;  "  and,  in  the  first  place,  I  advise  you  to 
apply  to  all  those  whom  you  know  will  give  something;  next, 
to  those  whom  you  are  uncertain  whether  they  will  give  any 
thing  or  not,  and  show  them  the  list  of  those  who  have  given; 
and,  lastly,  do  not  neglect  those  who  you  are  sure  will  give 
nothing,  for  in  some  of  them  you  may  be  mistaken."  He 
laugh'd  and  thank'd  me,  and  said  he  would  take  my  advice. 
He  did  so,  for  he  ask'd  of  everybody,  and  he  obtained  g.  much 


132,       THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

larger  sum  than  he  expected,  with  which  he  erected  the  capa 
cious  and  very  elegant  meeting-house  that  stands  in  Arch- 
street. 

Our  city,  tho'  laid  out  with  a  beautiful  regularity,  the  streets 
large,  strait,  and  crossing  each  other  at  right  angles,  had  the 
disgrace  of  suffering  those  streets  to  remain  long  unpav'd,  and 
in  wet  weather  the  wheels  of  heavy  carriages  plough'd  them 
into  a  quagmire,  so  that  it  was  difficult  to  cross  them ;  and  in 
dry  weather  the  dust  was  offensive.  I  had  liv'd  near  what  was 
calPd  the  Jersey  Market,  and  saw  with  pain  the  inhabitants 
wading  in  mud  while  purchasing  their  provisions.  A  strip  of 
ground  down  the  middle  of  that  market  was  at  length  pav'd 
with  brick,  so  that,  being  once  in  the  market,  they  had  firm 
footing,  but  were  often  over  shoes  in  dirt  to  get  there.  By 
talking  and  writing  on  the  subject,  I  was  at  length  instrumental 
in  getting  the  street  pav'd  with  stone  between  the  market  and 
the  brick'd  foot-pavement,  that  was  on  each  side  next  the 
houses.  This,  for  some  time,  gave  an  easy  access  to  the  market 
dry-shod;  but,  the  rest  of  the  street  not  being  pav'd,  when 
ever  a  carriage  came  out  of  the  mud  upon  this  pavement,  it 
shook  off  and  left  its  dirt  upon  it,  and  it  was  soon  cover 'd  with 
mire,  which  was  not  remov'd,  the  city  as  yet  having  no  scav 
engers. 

After  some  inquiry,  I  found  a  poor,  industrious  man,  who 
was  willing  to  undertake  keeping  the  pavement  clean,  by 
sweeping  it  twice  a  week,  carrying  off  the  dirt  from  before  all 
the  neighbours'  doors,  for  the  sum  of  sixpence  per  month, 
to  be  paid  by  each  house.  I  then  wrote  and  printed  a  paper 
setting  forth  the  advantages  to  the  neighbourhood  that  might 
be  obtained  by  this  small  expense ;  the  greater  ease  in  keeping 
our  houses  clean,  so  much  dirt  not  being  brought  in  by  people's 
feet ;  the  benefit  to  the  shops  by  more  custom,  etc.,  etc.,  as 
buyers  could  more  easily  get  at  them  ;  and  by  not  having,  in 
windy  weather,  the  dust  blown  in  upon  their  goods,  etc.,  etc. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          133 

I  sent  one  of  these  papers  to  each  house,  and  in  a  day  or  two 
went  round  to  see  who  would  subscribe  an  agreement  to  pay 
these  sixpences ;  it  was  unanimously  sign'd,  and  for  a  time 
well  executed.  All  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  were  delighted 
with  the  cleanliness  of  the  pavement  that  surrounded  the  mar 
ket,  it  being  a  convenience  to  all,  and  this  rais'd  a  general  de 
sire  to  have  all  the  streets  paved,  and  made  the  people  more 
willing  to  submit  to  a  tax  for  that  purpose. 

After  some  time  I  drew  a  bill  for  paving  the  city,  and 
brought  it  into  the  Assembly.  It  was  just  before  I  went  to 
England,  in  1757,  and  did  not  pass  till  I  was  gone,1  and  then 
with  an  alteration  in  the  mode  of  assessment,  which  I  thought 
not  for  the  better,  but  with  an  additional  provision  for  light 
ing  as  well  as  paving  the  streets,  which  was  a  great  improve 
ment.  It  was  by  a  private  person,  the  late  Mr.  John  Clifton,  his 
giving  a  sample  of  the  utility  of  lamps,  by  placing  one  at  his 
door,  that  the  people  were  first  impress' d  with  the  idea  of 
enlighting  all  the  city.  The  honour  of  this  public  benefit  has 
also  been  ascrib'd  to  me,  but  it  belongs  truly  to  that  gentle 
man.  I  did  but  follow  his  example,  and  have  only  some  merit 
to  claim  respecting  the  form  of  our  lamps,  as  differing  from 
the  globe  lamps  we  were  at  first  supply'd  with  from  London. 
Those  we  found  inconvenient  in  these  respects :  they  admitted 
no  air  below;  the  smoke,  therefore,  did  not  readily  go  out 
above,  but  circulated  in  the  globe,  lodg'd  on  its  inside,  and  soon 
obstructed  the  light  they  were  intended  to  afford  ;  giving,  be 
sides,  the  daily  trouble  of  wiping  them  clean;  and  an  acci 
dental  stroke  on  one  of  them  would  demolish  it,  and  render  it 
totally  useless.  I  therefore  suggested  the  composing  them  of 
four  flat  panes,  with  a  long  funnel  above  to  draw  up  the  smoke, 
and  crevices  admitting  air  below,  to  facilitate  the  ascent  of  the 
smoke  ;  by  this  means  they  were  kept  clean,  and  did  not  grow 
dark  in  a  few  hours,  as  the  London  lamps  do,  but  continu'd 

1  See  votes. 


134      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

bright  till  morning,  and  an  accidental  stroke  would  generally 
break  but  a  single  pane,  easily  repair 'd. 

I  have  sometimes  wonder'd  that  the  Londoners  did  not, 
from  the  effect  holes  in  the  bottom  of  the  globe  lamps  us'd  at 
Vauxhall  have  in  keeping  them  clean,  learn  to  have  such  holes 
in  their  street  lamps.  But,  these  holes  being  made  for  another 
purpose,  viz.,  to  communicate  flame  more  suddenly  to  the  wick 
by  a  little  flax  hanging  down  thro'  them,  the  other  use,  of  let 
ting  in  air,  seems  not  to  have  been  thought  of;  and  therefore, 
after  the  lamps  have  been  lit  a  few  hours,  the  streets  of  London 
are  very  poorly  illuminated. 

The  mention  of  these  improvements  puts  me  in  mind  of 
one  I  proposed,  when  in  London,  to  Dr.  Fothergill,  who  was 
among  the  best  men  I  have  known,  and  a  great  promoter  of 
useful  projects.  I  had  observ'd  that  the  streets,  when  dry,  were 
never  swept,  and  the  light  dust  carried  away ;  but  it  was  suffer' d 
to  accumulate  till  wet  weather  reduc'd  it  to  mud,  and  then, 
after  lying  some  days  so  deep  on  the  pavement  that  there  was 
no  crossing  but  in  paths  kept  clean  by  poor  people  with  brooms, 
it  was  with  great  labour  rak'd  together  and  thrown  up  into 
carts  open  above,  the  sides  of  which  suffered  some  of  the  slush 
at  every  jolt  on  the  pavement  to  shake  out  and  fall,  sometimes 
to  the  annoyance  of  foot-passengers.  The  reason  given  for  not 
sweeping  the  dusty  streets  was,  that  the  dust  would  fly  into  the 
windows  of  shops  and  houses. 

An  accidental  occurrence  had  instructed  me  how  much 
sweeping  might  be  done  in  a  little  time.  I  found  at  my  door 
in  Craven-street,  one  morning,  a  poor  woman  sweeping  my 
pavement  with  a  birch  broom ;  she  appeared  very  pale  and 
feeble,  as  just  come  out  of  a  fit  of  sickness.  I  ask'd  who  em- 
ploy'd  her  to  sweep  there  ;  she  said,  "  Nobody,  but  I  am  very 
poor  and  in  distress,  and  I  sweeps  before  gentlefolkses  doors, 
and  hopes  they  will  give  me  something."  I  bid  her  sweep  the 
whole  street  clean,  and  I  would  give  her  a  shilling ;  this  was 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          135 

at  nine  o'clock;  at  12  she  came  for  the  shilling.  From  the 
slowness  I  saw  at  first  in  her  working,  I  could  scarce  believe 
that  the  work  was  done  so  soon,  and  sent  my  servant  to  examine 
it,  who  reported  that  the  whole  street  was  swept  perfectly 
clean,  and  all  the  dust  plac'd  in  the  gutter,  which  was  in  the 
middle;  and  the  next  rain  wash'd  it  quite  away,  so  that  the 
pavement  and  even  the  kennel  were  perfectly  clean. 

I  then  judg'd  that,  if  that  feeble  woman  could  sweep  such  a 
street  in  three  hours,  a  strong,  active  man  might  have  done  it 
in  half  the  time.  And  here  let  me  remark  the  convenience  of 
having  but  one  gutter  in  such  a  narrow  street,  running  down 
its  middle,  instead  of  two,  one  on  each  side,  near  the  footway ; 
for  where  all  the  rain  that  falls  on  a  street  runs  from  the  sides 
and  meets  in  the  middle,  it  forms  there  a  current  strong 
enough  to  wash  away  all  the  mud  it  meets  with ;  but  when 
divided  into  two  channels,  it  is  often  too  weak  to  cleanse  either, 
and  only  makes  the  mud  it  finds  more  fluid,  so  that  the  wheels 
of  carriages  and  feet  of  horses  throw  and  dash  it  upon  the  foot- 
pavement,  which  is  thereby  rendered  foul  and  slippery,  and 
sometimes  splash  it  upon  those  who  are  walking.  My  proposal, 
communicated  to  the  good  doctor,  was  as  follows : 

"For  the  more  effectual  cleaning  and  keeping  clean  the 
streets  of  London  and  Westminster,  it  is  proposed  that  the  sev 
eral  watchmen  be  contracted  with  to  have  the  dust  swept  up 
in  dry  seasons,  and  the  mud  rak'd  up  at  other  times,  each  in  the 
several  streets  and  lanes  of  his  round  ;  that  they  be  furnish'd 
with  brooms  and  other  proper  instruments  for  these  purposes, 
to  be  kept  at  their  respective  stands,  ready  to  furnish  the  poor 
people  they  may  employ  in  the  service. 

"  That  in  the  dry  summer  months  the  dust  be  all  swept  up 
into  heaps  at  proper  distances,  before  the  shops  and  windows 
of  houses  are  usually  opened,  when  the  scavengers,  with  close- 
covered  carts,  shall  also  carry  it  all  away. 

"  That  the  mud,  when  rak'd  up,  be  not  left  in  heaps  to  be 


136      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

spread  abroad  again  by  the  wheels  of  carriages  and  trampling 
of  horses,  but  that  the  scavengers  be  provided  with  bodies  of 
carts,  not  plac'd  high  upon  wheels,  but  low  upon  sliders,  with 
lattice  bottoms,  which,  being  cover' d  with  straw,  will  retain 
the  mud  thrown  into  them,  and  permit  the  water  to  drain  from 
it,  whereby  it  will  become  much  lighter,  water  making  the 
greatest  part  of  its  weight ;  these  bodies  of  carts  to  be  plac'd 
at  convenient  distances,  and  the  mud  brought  to  them  in  wheel 
barrows;  they  remaining  where  plac'd  till  the  mud  is  drain'd, 
and  then  horses  brought  to  draw  them  away." 

I  have  since  had  doubts  of  the  practicability  of  the  latter 
part  of  this  proposal,  on  account  of  the  narrowness  of  some 
streets,  and  the  difficulty  of  placing  the  draining-sleds  so  as  not 
to  encumber  too  much  the  passage ;  but  I  am  still  of  opinion 
that  the  former,  requiring  the  dust  to  be  swept  up  and  carry'd 
away  before  the  shops  are  open,  is  very  practicable  in  the  sum 
mer,  when  the  days  are  long ;  for,  in  walking  thro'  the  Strand 
and  Fleet-street  one  morning  at  seven  o'clock,  I  observ'd  there 
was  not  one  shop  open,  tho'  it  had  been  daylight  and  the  sun 
up  above  three  hours ;  the  inhabitants  of  London  chusing  vol 
untarily  to  live  much  by  candle-light,  and  sleep  by  sunshine, 
and  yet  often  complain,  a  little  absurdly,  of  the  duty  on  candles, 
and  the  high  price  of  tallow. 

Some  may  think  these  trifling  matters  not  worth  minding 
or  relating ;  but  when  they  consider  that  tho'  dust  blown  into 
the  eyes  of  a  single  person,  or  into  a  single  shop  on  a  windy 
day,  is  but  of  small  importance,  yet  the  great  number  of  the 
instances  in  a  populous  city,  and  its  frequent  repetitions  give  it 
weight  and  consequence,  perhaps  they  will  not  censure  very 
severely  those  who  bestow  some  attention  to  affairs  of  this  seem 
ingly  low  nature.  Human  felicity  is  produc'd  not  so  much  by 
great  pieces  of  good  fortune  that  seldom  happen,  as  by  little 
advantages  that  occur  every  day.  Thus,  if  you  teach  a  poor 
young  man  to  shave  himself,  and  keep  his  razor  in  order,  you 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  137 

may  contribute  more  to  the  happiness  of  his  life  than  in  giving 
him  a  thousand  guineas.  The  money  may  be  soon  spent,  the 
regret  only  remaining  of  having  foolishly  consumed  it;  but  in 
the  other  case,  he  escapes  the  frequent  vexation  of  waiting  for 
barbers,  and  of  their  sometimes  dirty  fingers,  offensive  breaths, 
and  dull  razors ;  he  shaves  when  most  convenient  to  him,  and 
enjoys  daily  the  pleasure  of  its  being  done  with  a  good  instru 
ment.  With  these  sentiments  I  have  hazarded  the  few  pre 
ceding  pages,  hoping  they  may  afford  hints  which  some  time 
or  other  may  be  useful  to  a  city  I  love,  having  lived  many 
years  in  it  very  happily,  and  perhaps  to  some  of  our  towns  in 
America. 

Having  been  for  some  time  employed  by  the  postmaster- 
general  of  America  as  his  comptroller  in  regulating  several 
offices,  and  bringing  the  officers  to  account,  I  was,  upon  his 
death  in  1753,  appointed,  jointly  with  Mr  William  Hunter, 
to  succeed  him,  by  a  commission  from  the  postmaster-general 
in  England.  The  American  office  never  had  hitherto  paid  any 
thing  to  that  of  Britain.  We  were  to  have  six  hundred  pounds 
a  year  between  us,  if  we  could  make  that  sum  out  of  the  profits 
of  the  office.  To  do  this,  a  variety  of  improvements  were 
necessary ;  some  of  these  were  inevitably  at  first  expensive,  so 
that  in  the  first  four  years  the  office  became  above  nine  hundred 
pounds  in  debt  to  us.  But  it  soon  after  began  to  repay  us ;  and 
before  I  was  displac'd  by  a  freak  of  the  ministers,  of  which  I 
shall  speak  hereafter,  we  had  brought  it  to  yield  three  times  as 
much  clear  revenue  to  the  crown  as  the  postoffice  of  Ireland. 
Since  that  imprudent  transaction,  they  have  received  from  it 
—  not  one  farthing ! 

The  business  of  the  postoffice  occasion' d  my  taking  a  jour 
ney  this  year  to  New  England,  where  the  College  of  Cam 
bridge,  of  their  own  motion,  presented  me  with  the  degree  of 
Master  of  Arts.  Yale  College,  in  Connecticut,  had  before  made 
me  a  similar  compliment.  Thus,  without  studying  in  any  col- 


138       THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

lege,  I  came  to  partake  of  their  honours.  They  were  conferr'd 
in  consideration  of  my  improvements  and  discoveries  in  the 
electric  branch  of  natural  philosophy. 

In  1754,  war  with  France  being  again  apprehended,  a  con 
gress  of  commissioners  from  the  different  colonies  was,  by  order 
of  the  Lord  of  Trade,  to  be  assembled  at  Albany,  there  to  con 
fer  with  the  chiefs  of  the  Six  Nations  concerning  the  means 
of  defending  both  their  country  and  ours.  Governor  Hamil 
ton,  having  receiv'd  this  order,  acquainted  the  House  with  it, 
requesting  they  would  furnish  proper  presents  for  the  Indians, 
to  be  given  on  this  occasion ;  and  naming  the  speaker  (Mr 
Norris)  and  myself  to  join  Mr  Thomas  Pennand  Mr  Secretary 
Peters  as  commissioners  to  act  for  Pennsylvania.  The  House 
approv'd  the  nomination,  and  provided  the  goods  for  the  pre 
sent,  and  tho'  they  did  not  much  like  treating  out  of  the  prov 
inces  ;  and  we  met  the  other  commissioners  at  Albany  about 
the  middle  of  June. 

In  our  way  thither,  I  projected  and  drew  a  plan  for  the  union 
of  all  the  colonies  under  one  government,  so  far  as  might  be 
necessary  for  defense,  and  other  important  general  purposes. 
As  we  pass'd  thro'  New  York,  I  had  there  shown  my  project  to 
Mr  James  Alexander  and  Mr  Kennedy,  two  gentlemen  of  great 
knowledge  in  public  affairs,  and,  being  fortified  by  their  appro 
bation,  I  ventur'd  to  lay  it  before  the  Congress.  It  then  ap 
peared  that  several  of  the  commissioners  had  form'd  plans  of 
the  same  kind.  A  previous  question  was  first  taken,  whether 
a  union  should  be  established,  which  pass'd  in  the  affirmative 
unanimously.  A  committee  was  then  appointed,  one  member 
from  each  colony,  to  consider  the  several  plans  and  report. 
Mine  happen' d  to  be  preferr'd,  and,  with  a  few  amendments, 
was  accordingly  reported. 

By  this  plan  the  general  government  was  to  be  administered 
by  a  president-general,  appointed  and  supported  by  the  crown, 
and  a  grand  council  was  to  be  chosen  by  the  representatives 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          139 

of  the  people  of  the  several  colonies,  met  in  their  respective 
assemblies.  The  debates  upon  it  in  Congress  went  on  daily, 
hand  in  hand  with  the  Indian  business.  Many  objections  and 
difficulties  were  started,  but  at  length  they  were  all  overcome, 
and  the  plan  was  unanimously  agreed  to,  and  copies  ordered  to 
be  transmitted  to  the  Board  of  Trade  and  to  the  assemblies  of 
the  several  provinces.  Its  fate  was  singular :  the  assemblies  did 
not  adopt  it,  as  they  all  thought  there  was  too  much  prerogative 
in  it,  and  in  England  it  was  judg'd  to  have  too  much  of  the 
democratic.  The  Board  of  Trade  therefore  did  not  approve  of 
it,  nor  recommend  it  for  the  approbation  of  his  majesty;  but 
another  scheme  was  form'd,  supposed  to  answer  the  same  pur 
pose  better,  whereby  the  governors  of  the  provinces,  with  some 
members  of  their  respective  councils,  were  to  meet  and  order 
the  raising  of  troops,  building  of  forts,  etc.,  and  to  draw  on  the 
treasury  of  Great  Britain  for  the  expense,  which  was  afterwards 
to  be  refunded  by  an  act  of  Parliament  laying  a  tax  on  America. 
My  plan,  with  my  reasons  in  support  of  it,  is  to  be  found  among 
my  political  papers  that  are  printed. 

Being  the  winter  following  in  Boston,  I  had  much  conver 
sation  with  Governor  Shirley  upon  both  the  plans.  Part  of 
what  passed  between  us  on  the  occasion  may  also  be  seen  among 
those  papers.  The  different  and  contrary  reasons  of  dislike  to 
my  plan  makes  me  suspect  that  it  was  really  the  true  medium ; 
and  I  am  still  of  opinion  it  would  have  been  happy  for  both 
sides  the  water  if  it  had  been  adopted.  The  colonies,  so  united, 
would  have  been  sufficiently  strong  to  have  defended  them 
selves  ;  there  would  then  have  been  no  need  of  troops  from 
England ;  of  course,  the  subsequent  pretence  for  taxing  Amer 
ica,  and  the  bloody  contest  it  occasioned,  would  have  been 
avoided.  But  such  mistakes  are  not  new ;  history  is  full  of  the 
errors  of  states  and  princes. 

"  Look  round  the  habitable  world,  how  few 
Know  their  own  good,  or,  knowing  it,  pursue ! " 


140      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

Those  who  govern,  having  much  business  on  their  hands, 
do  not  generally  like  to  take  the  trouble  of  considering  and 
carrying  into  execution  new  projects.  The  best  public  mea 
sures  are  therefore  seldom  adopted  from  previous  wisdom,  but 
forced  by  the  occasion. 

The  Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  in  sending  it  down  to  the 
Assembly,  express' d  his  approbation  of  the  plan,  "  as  appear 
ing  to  him  to  be  drawn  up  with  great  clearness  and  strength 
of  judgment,  and  therefore  recommended  it  as  well  worthy 
of  their  closest  and  most  serious  attention."  The  House,  how 
ever,  by  the  management  of  a  certain  member,  took  it  up  when 
I  happen'd  to  be  absent,  which  I  thought  not  very  fair,  and 
reprobated  it  without  paying  any  attention  to  it  at  all,  to  my 
no  small  mortification. 

In  my  journey  to  Boston  this  year,  I  met  at  New  York  with 
our  new  governor,  Mr  Morris,  just  arriv'd  there  from  Eng 
land,  with  whom  I  had  been  before  intimately  acquainted.  He 
brought  a  commission  to  supersede  Mr  Hamilton,  who,  tir'd 
with  the  disputes  his  proprietary  instructions  subjected  him  to, 
had  resign'd.  Mr  Morris  ask'd  me  if  I  thought  he  must  expect 
as  uncomfortable  an  administration.  I  said, "  No ;  you  may,  on 
the  contrary,  have  a  very  comfortable  one,  if  you  will  only  take 
care  not  to  enter  into  any  dispute  with  the  Assembly."  "  My 
dear  friend,"  says  he,  pleasantly,  "how  can  you  advise  my  avoid 
ing  disputes  ?  You  know  I  love  disputing ;  it  is  one  of  my  great 
est  pleasures ;  however,  to  show  the  regard  I  have  for  your 
counsel,  I  promise  you  I  will,  if  possible,  avoid  them."  He 
had  some  reason  for  loving  to  dispute,  being  eloquent,  an  acute 
sophister,  and,  therefore,  generally  successful  in  argumentative 
conversation.  He  had  been  brought  up  to  it  from  a  boy,  his 
father,  as  I  have  heard,  accustoming  his  children  to  dispute 
with  one  another  for  his  diversion,  while  sitting  at  table  after 
dinner;  but  I  think  the  practice  was  not  wise;  for,  in  the  course 
of  my  observation,  these  disputing,  contradicting,  and  confut- 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          141 

ing  people  are  generally  unfortunate  in  their  affairs.  They  get 
victory  sometimes,  but  they  never  get  good  will,  which  would 
be  of  more  use  to  them.  We  parted,  he  going  to  Philadelphia, 
and  I  to  Boston. 

In  returning,  I  met  at  New  York  with  the  votes  of  the  As 
sembly,  by  which  it  appear' d  that,  notwithstanding  his  prom 
ise  to  me,  he  and  the  House  were  already  in  high  contention; 
and  it  was  a  continual  battle  between  them  as  long  as  he  re 
tain' d  the  government.  I  had  my  share  of  it;  for,  as  soon  as  I 
got  back  to  my  seat  in  the  Assembly,  I  was  put  on  every  com 
mittee  for  answering  his  speeches  and  messages,  and  by  the 
committees  always  desired  to  make  the  drafts.  Our  answers,  as 
well  as  his  messages,  were  often  tart,  and  sometimes  indecently 
abusive ;  and,  as  he  knew  I  wrote  for  the  Assembly,  one  might 
have  imagined  that,  when  we  met,  we  could  hardly  avoid  cut 
ting  throats ;  but  he  was  so  good-natur'd  a  man  that  no  personal 
difference  between  him  and  me  was  occasion' d  by  the  contest, 
and  we  often  din'd  together. 

One  afternoon,  in  the  height  of  this  public  quarrel,  we  met 
in  the  street.  "  Franklin,"  says  he,  "you  must  go  home  with 
me  and  spend  the  evening ;  I  am  to  have  some  company  that 
you  will  like" ;  and,  taking  me  by  the  arm,  he  led  me  to  his 
house.  In  gay  conversation  over  our  wine,  after  supper,  he 
told  us,  jokingly,  that  he  much  admir'd  the  idea  of  Sancho 
Panza,  who,  when  it  was  proposed  to  give  him  a  government, 
requested  it  might  be  a  government  of  blacks,  as  then,  if  he 
could  not  agree  with  his  people,  he  might  sell  them.  One 
of  his  friends,  who  sat  next  to  me,  says,  "  Franklin,  why  do 
you  continue  to  side  with  these  damn'd  Quakers  ?  Had 
not  you  better  sell  them  ?  The  proprietor  would  give  you  a 
good  price."  "The  governor,"  says  I,  "has  not  yet  blacked 
them  enough."  He,  indeed,  had  labored  hard  to  blacken  the 
Assembly  in  all  his  messages,  but  they  wip'd  off  his  coloring 
as  fast  as  he  laid  it  on,  and  plac'd  it,  in  return,  thick  upon  his 


142,      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

own  face ;  so  that,  finding  that  he  was  negrofied  himself,  he, 
as  well  as  Mr  Hamilton,  grew  tir'd  of  the  contest,  and  quitted 
the  government. 

1  These  public  quarrels  were  all  at  bottom  owing  to  the  pro 
prietaries,  our  hereditary  governors,  who,  when  any  expense 
was  to  be  incurred  for  the  defense  of  their  province,  with  in 
credible  meanness  instructed  their  deputies  to  pass  no  act  for 
levying  the  necessary  taxes,  unless  their  vast  estates  were  in  the 
same  act  expressly  excused;  and  they  had  even  taken  bonds  of 
these  deputies  to  observe  such  instructions.  The  Assemblies  for 
three  years  held  out  against  this  injustice,  tho'  constrained  to 
bend  at  last.  At  length  Captain  Denny,  who  was  Governor 
Morris's  successor,  ventured  to  disobey  those  instructions;  how 
that  was  brought  about  I  shall  show  hereafter. 

But  I  am  got  forward  too  fast  with  my  story :  there  are  still 
some  transactions  to  be  mention'd  that  happened  during  the 
administration  of  Governor  Morris. 

War  being  in  a  manner  commenced  with  France,  the  gov 
ernment  of  Massachusetts  Bay  projected  an  attack  upon  Crown 
Point,  and  sent  Mr  Quincy  to  Pennsylvania,  and  Mr  Pownall, 
afterward  Governor  Pownall,  to  New  York,  to  solicit  assistance. 
As  I  was  in  the  Assembly,  knew  its  temper,  and  was  Mr 
Quincy's  countryman,  he  appli'd  to  me  for  my  influence  and 
assistance.  I  dictated  his  address  to  them,  which  was  well  re- 
ceiv'd.  They  voted  an  aid  of  ten  thousand  pounds,  to  be  laid 
out  in  provisions.  But  the  governor  refusing  his  assent  to  their 
bill  (which  included  this  with  other  sums  granted  for  the  use 
of  the  crown),  unless  a  clause  were  inserted  exempting  the  pro 
prietary  estate  from  bearing  any  part  of  the  tax  that  would  be 
necessary,  the  Assembly,  tho'  very  desirous  of  making  their 
grant  to  New  England  effectual,  were  at  a  loss  how  to  accom 
plish  it.  Mr  Quincy  labored  hard  with  the  governor  to  obtain 
his  assent,  but  he  was  obstinate. 

1  My  acts  in  Morris's  time,  military,  etc.  —  Marg.  note. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  143 

I  then  suggested  a  method  of  doing  the  business  without  the 
governor,  by  orders  on  the  trustees  of  the  Loan  Office,  which, 
by  law,  the  Assembly  had  the  right  of  drawing.  There  was, 
indeed,  little  or  no  money  at  that  time  in  the  office,  and  there 
fore  I  propos'd  that  the  orders  should  be  payable  in  a  year,  and 
to  bear  an  interest  of  five  per  cent.  With  these  orders  I  sup- 
pos'd  the  provisions  might  easily  be  purchas'd.  The  Assembly, 
with  very  little  hesitation,  adopted  the  proposal.  The  orders 
were  immediately  printed,  and  I  was  one  of  the  committee 
directed  to  sign  and  dispose  of  them.  The  fund  for  paying  them 
was  the  interest  of  all  the  paper  currency  then  extant  in  the 
province  upon  loan,  together  with  the  revenue  arising  from 
the  excise,  which  being  known  to  be  more  than  sufficient,  they 
obtain' d  instant  credit,  and  were  not  only  received  in  payment 
for  the  provisions,  but  many  money 'd  people,  who  had  cash 
lying  by  them,  vested  it  in  those  orders,  which  they  found 
advantageous,  as  they  bore  interest  while  upon  hand,  and 
might  on  any  occasion  be  used  as  money ;  so  that  they  were 
eagerly  all  bought  up,  and  in  a  few  weeks  none  of  them  were  to 
be  seen.  Thus  this  important  affair  was  by  my  means  com- 
pleated.  Mr  Quincy  return'd  thanks  to  the  Assembly  in  a 
handsome  memorial,  went  home  highly  pleas' d  with  the 
success  of  his  embassy,  and  ever  after  bore  for  me  the  most 
cordial  and  affectionate  friendship. 

The  British  Government,  not  chusing  to  permit  the  union 
of  the  colonies  as  propos'd  at  Albany,  and  to  trust  that  union 
with  their  defense,  lest  they  should  thereby  grow  too  military, 
and  feel  their  own  strength,  suspicions  and  jealousies  at  this 
time  being  entertain' d  of  them,  sent  over  General  Braddock 
with  two  regiments  of  regular  English  troops  for  that  pur 
pose.  He  landed  at  Alexandria,  in  Virginia,  and  thence  march'd 
to  Frederictown,  in  Maryland,  where  he  halted  for  carriages. 
Our  Assembly  apprehending,  from  some  information,  that  he 
had  conceived  violent  prejudices  against  them,  as  averse  to  the 


144      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

service,  wish'd  me  to  wait  upon  him,  not  as  from  them,  but  as 
postmaster-general,  under  the  guise  of  proposing  to  settle  with 
him  the  mode  of  conducting  with  most  celerity  and  certainty 
the  despatches  between  him  and  the  governors  of  the  several 
provinces,  with  whom  he  must  necessarily  have  continual  cor 
respondence,  and  of  which  they  propos'd  to  pay  the  expense. 
My  son  accompanied  me  on  this  journey. 

We  found  the  general  at  Frederictown,  waiting  impatiently 
for  the  return  of  those  he  had  sent  thro'  the  back  parts  of 
Maryland  and  Virginia  to  collect  waggons.  I  stayed  with  him 
several  days,  din'd  with  him  daily,  and  had  full  opportunity 
of  removing  all  his  prejudices,  by  the  information  of  what 
the  Assembly  had  before  his  arrival  actually  done,  and  were 
still  willing  to  do,  to  facilitate  his  operations.  When  I  was 
about  to  depart,  the  returns  of  waggons  to  be  obtained  were 
brought  in,  by  which  it  appear'd  that  they  amounted  only  to 
twenty-five,  and  not  all  of  those  were  in  serviceable  condition. 
The  general  and  all  the  officers  were  surpris'd,  declar'd  the  ex 
pedition  was  then  at  an  end,  being  impossible,  and  exclaim'd 
against  the  ministers  for  ignorantly  landing  them  in  a  coun 
try  destitute  of  the  means  of  conveying  their  stores,  baggage, 
etc.,  not  less  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  waggons  being  neces 
sary. 

I  happen'd  to  say  I  thought  it  was  pity  they  had  not  been 
landed  rather  in  Pennsylvania,  as  in  that  country  almost  every 
farmer  had  his  waggon.  The  general  eagerly  laid  hold  of  my 
words,  and  said,  "  Then  you,  sir,  who  are  a  man  of  interest 
there,  can  probably  procure  them  for  us ;  and  I  beg  you  will 
undertake  it."  I  ask'd  what  terms  were  to  be  offer' d  the  owners 
of  the  waggons;  and  I  was  desir'd  to  put  on  paper  the  terms 
that  appeared  to  me  necessary.  This  I  did,  and  they  were  agreed 
to,  and  a  commission  and  instructions  accordingly  prepar'd 
immediately.  What  those  terms  were  will  appear  in  the  adver 
tisement  I  publish' d  as  soon  as  I  arriv'd  at  Lancaster,  which 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          145 

being,  from  the  great  and  sudden  effect  it  produc'd,  a  piece  of 
some  curiosity,  I  shall  insert  it  at  length,  as  follows : 

"  Advertisement 

"LANCASTER,  April  26,  1755. 

"  Whereas,  one  hundred  and  fifty  waggons,  with  four  horses 
to  each  waggon,  and  fifteen  hundred  saddle  or  pack  horses,  are 
wanted  for  the  service  of  his  majesty's  forces  now  about  to  ren 
dezvous  at  Will's  Creek,  and  his  excellency  General  Braddock 
having  been  pleased  to  empower  me  to  contract  for  the  hire  of 
the  same,  I  hereby  give  notice  that  I  shall  attend  for  that  pur 
pose  at  Lancaster  from  this  day  to  next  Wednesday  evening, 
and  at  York  from  next  Thursday  morning  till  Friday  evening, 
where  I  shall  be  ready  to  agree  for  waggons  and  teams,  or  single 
horses,  on  the  following  terms,  viz. :  I .  That  there  shall  be  paid 
for  each  waggon,  with  four  good  horses  and  a  driver,  fifteen 
shillings  per  diem ;  and  for  each  able  horse  with  a  pack-saddle, 
or  other  saddle  and  furniture,  two  shillings  per  diem ;  and  for 
each  able  horse  without  a  saddle,  eighteen  pence  per  diem.  2. 
That  the  pay  commence  from  the  time  of  their  joining  the 
forces  at  Will's  Creek,  which  must  be  on  or  before  the  2Oth  of 
May  ensuing,  and  that  a  reasonable  allowance  be  paid  over  and 
above  for  the  time  necessary  for  their  travelling  to  Will's  Creek 
and  home  again  after  their  discharge.  3.  Each  waggon  and 
team,  and  every  saddle  or  pack  horse,  is  to  be  valued  by  indif 
ferent  persons  chosen  between  me  and  the  owner ;  and  in  case 
of  the  loss  of  any  waggon,  team,  or  other  horse  in  the  service, 
the  price  according  to  such  valuation  is  to  be  allowed  and  paid. 

4.  Seven  days'  pay  is  to  be  advanced  and  paid  in  hand  by  me 
to  the  owner  of  each  waggon  and  team,  or  horse,  at  the  time 
of  contracting,  if  required,  and  the  remainder  to  be  paid  by 
General  Braddock,  or  by  the  paymaster  of  the  army,  at  the  time 
of  their  discharge,  or  from  time  to  time,  as  it  shall  be  demanded. 

5.  No  drivers  of  waggons,  or  persons  taking  care  of  the  hired 


146      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

horses,  are  on  any  account  to  be  called  upon  to  do  the  duty  of 
soldiers,  or  be  otherwise  employed  than  in  conducting  or  tak 
ing  care  of  their  carriages  or  horses.  6.  All  oats,  Indian  corn, 
or  other  forage  that  waggons  or  horses  bring  to  the  camp,  more 
than  is  necessary  for  the  subsistence  of  the  horses,  is  to  be  taken 
for  the  use  of  the  army,  and  a  reasonable  price  paid  for  the 
same. 

"  Note.  —  My  son,  William  Franklin,  is  empowered  to 
enter  into  like  contracts  with  any  person  in  Cumberland  county. 

"  B.  FRANKLIN." 


"  To  the  inhabitants  of  the  Counties  of  Lancaster ', 
York  and  Cumberland 

"  Friends  and  Countrymen, 

"  Being  occasionally  at  the  camp  at  Frederic  a  few  days 
since,  I  found  the  general  and  officers  extremely  exasperated 
on  account  of  their  not  being  supplied  with  horses  and  car 
riages,  which  had  been  expected  from  this  province,  as  most 
able  to  furnish  them;  but,  through  the  dissensions  between 
our  governor  and  Assembly,  money  had  not  been  provided, 
nor  any  steps  taken  for  that  purpose. 

"  It  was  proposed  to  send  an  armed  force  immediately  into 
these  counties,  to  seize  as  many  of  the  best  carriages  and  horses 
as  should  be  wanted,  and  compel  as  many  persons  into  the 
service  as  would  be  necessary  to  drive  and  take  care  of  them. 

"  I  apprehended  that  the  progress  of  British  soldiers  through 
these  counties  on  such  an  occasion,  especially  considering  the 
temper  they  are  in,  and  their  resentment  against  us,  would  be 
attended  with  many  and  great  inconveniences  to  the  inhabit 
ants,  and  therefore  more  willingly  took  the  trouble  of  trying 
first  what  might  be  done  by  fair  and  equitable  means.  The 
people  of  these  back  counties  have  lately  complained  to  the 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          147 

Assembly  that  a  sufficient  currency  was  wanting ;  you  have  an 
opportunity  of  receiving  and  dividing  among  you  a  very  con 
siderable  sum ;  for,  if  the  service  of  this  expedition  should  con 
tinue,  as  it  is  more  than  probable  it  will,  for  one  hundred  and 
twenty  days,  the  hire  of  these  waggons  and  horses  will  amount 
to  upward  of  thirty  thousand  pounds,  which  will  be  paid  you 
in  silver  and  gold  of  the  king's  money. 

"  The  service  will  be  light  and  easy,  for  the  army  will  scarce 
march  above  twelve  miles  per  day,  and  the  waggons  and  bag 
gage-horses,  as  they  carry  those  things  that  are  absolutely  nec 
essary  to  the  welfare  of  the  army,  must  march  with  the  army, 
and  no  faster ;  and  are,  for  the  army's  sake,  always  placed  where 
they  can  be  most  secure,  whether  in  a  march  or  in  a  camp. 

"If  you  are  really,  as  I  believe  you  are,  good  and  loyal  sub 
jects  to  his  majesty,  you  may  now  do  a  most  acceptable  serv 
ice,  and  make  it  easy  to  yourselves ;  for  three  or  four  of  such 
as  can  not  separately  spare  from  the  business  of  their  plantations 
a  waggon  and  four  horses  and  a  driver,  may  do  it  together,  one 
furnishing  the  waggon,  another  one  or  two  horses,  and  another 
the  driver,  and  divide  the  pay  proportionably  between  you;  but 
if  you  do  not  this  service  to  your  king  and  country  voluntarily, 
when  such  good  pay  and  reasonable  terms  are  offered  to  you, 
your  loyalty  will  be  strongly  suspected.  The  king's  business 
must  be  done ;  so  many  brave  troops,  come  so  far  for  your  de 
fense,  must  not  stand  idle  through  your  backwardness  to  do 
what  may  be  reasonably  expected  from  you;  waggons  and 
horses  must  be  had ;  violent  measures  will  probably  be  used ; 
and  you  will  be  left  to  seek  for  a  recompense  where  you  can 
find  it,  and  your  case,  perhaps,  be  little  pitied  or  regarded. 

"  I  have  no  particular  interest  in  this  affair,  as,  except  the 
satisfaction  of  endeavoring  to  do  good,  I  shall  have  only  my 
labour  for  my  pains.  If  this  method  of  obtaining  the  waggons 
and  horses  is  not  likely  to  succeed,  I  am  obliged  to  send  word 
to  the  general  in  fourteen  days;  .and  I  suppose  Sir  John  St  Clair, 


148       THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

the  hussar,  with  a  body  of  soldiers,  will  immediately  enter  the 
province  for  the  purpose,  which  I  shall  be  sorry  to  hear,  because 
I  am  very  sincerely  and  truly  your  friend  and  well-wisher, 

"  B.  FRANKLIN/' 

I  received  of  the  general  about  eight  hundred  pounds,  to  be 
disbursed  in  advance-money  to  the  waggon  owners,  etc. ;  but 
that  sum  being  insufficient,  I  advanc'd  upward  of  two  hundred 
pounds  more,  and  in  two  weeks  the  one  hundred  and  fifty  wag 
gons,  with  two  hundred  and  fifty-nine  carrying  horses,  were  on 
their  march  for  the  camp.  The  advertisement  promised  pay 
ment  according  to  the  valuation,  in  case  any  waggon  or  horse 
should  be  lost.  The  owners,  however,  alleging  they  did  not 
know  General  Braddock,  or  what  dependence  might  be  had  on 
his  promise,  insisted  on  my  bond  for  the  performance,  which 
I  accordingly  gave  them. 

While  I  was  at  the  camp,  supping  one  evening  with  the 
officers  of  Colonel  Dunbar's  regiment,  he  represented  to  me 
his  concern  for  the  subalterns,  who,  he  said,  were  generally  not 
in  affluence,  and  could  ill  afford,  in  this  dear  country,  to  lay  in 
the  stores  that  might  be  necessary  in  so  long  a  march,  thro' 
a  wilderness,  where  nothing  was  to  be  purchas'd.  I  commiser 
ated  their  case,  and  resolved  to  endeavor  procuring  them  some 
relief.  I  said  nothing,  however,  to  him  of  my  intention,  but 
wrote  the  next  morning  to  the  committee  of  the  Assembly, 
who  had  the  disposition  of  some  public  money,  warmly  recom 
mending  the  case  of  these  officers  to  their  consideration,  and 
proposing  that  a  present  should  be  sent  them  of  necessaries  and 
refreshments.  My  son,  who  had  some  experience  of  a  camp 
life,  and  of  its  wants,  drew  up  a  list  for  me,  which  I  enclos'd  in 
my  letter.  The  committee  approv'd,  and  used  such  diligence 
that,  conducted  by  my  son,  the  stores  arrived  at  the  camp  as 
soon  as  the  waggons.  They  consisted  of  twenty  parcels,  each 
containing 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  149 

6  Ibs.  loaf  sugar.  I  Gloucester  cheese. 

6  Ibs.  good  Muscovado  do.  i   kegg  containing  20  Ibs.  good 
i  Ib.  good  green  tea.  butter, 

i  Ib.  good  bohea  do.  2  doz.  old  Madeira  wine. 

6  Ibs.  good  ground  coffee.  2  gallons  Jamaica  spirits. 

6  Ibs.  chocolate.  i  bottle  flour  of  mustard. 

1-2  cwt.  best  white  biscuit.  2  well-cur'd  hams. 

1-2  Ib.  pepper.  1-2  dozen  dry'd  tongues, 
i    quart   best  white  wine  vine-     6  Ibs.  rice, 

gar.  6  Ibs.  raisins. 

These  twenty  parcels,  well  pack'd,  were  placed  on  as  many 
horses,  each  parcel,  with  the  horse,  being  intended  as  a  present 
for  one  officer.  They  were  very  thankfully  receiv'd,  and  the 
kindness  acknowledg'd  by  letters  to  me  from  the  colonels  of 
both  regiments,  in  the  most  grateful  terms.  The  general,  too, 
was  highly  satisfied  with  my  conduct  in  procuring  him  the 
waggons,  etc.,  and  readily  paid  my  account  of  disbursements, 
thanking  me  repeatedly,  and  requesting  my  farther  assistance 
in  sending  provisions  after  him.  I  undertook  this  also,  and  was 
busily  employ'd  in  it  till  we  heard  of  his0  defeat,  advancing 
for  the  service  of  my  own  money,  upwards  of  one  thousand 
pounds  sterling,  of  which  I  sent  him  an  account.  It  came  to 
his  hands,  luckily  for  me,  a  few  days  before  the  battle,  and  he 
return' d  me  immediately  an  order  on  the  paymaster  for  the 
round  sum  of  one  thousand  pounds,  leaving  the  remainder  to 
the  next  account.  I  consider  this  payment  as  good  luck,  hav 
ing  never  been  able  to  obtain  that  remainder,  of  which  more 
hereafter. 

This  general  was,  I  think,  a  brave  man,  and  might  probably 
have  made  a  figure  as  a  good  officer  in  some  European  war. 
But  he  had  too  much  self-confidence,  too  high  an  opinion  of 
the  validity  of  regular  troops,  and  too  mean  a  one  of  both 
Americans  and  Indians.  George  Crogan,  our  Indian  inter 
preter,  join'd  him  on  his  march  with  one  hundred  of  those 
people,  who  might  have  been  of  great  use  to  his  army  as  guides, 


150      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

scouts,  etc.,  if  he  had  treated  them  kindly ;  but  he  slighted  and 
neglected  them,  and  they  gradually  left  him. 

In  conversation  with  him  one  day,  he  was  giving  me  some 
account  of  his  intended  progress.  "After  taking  Fort  Du 
quesne,"  says  he,  "I  am  to  proceed  to  Niagara;  and,  having 
taken  that,  the  Frontenac,  if  the  season  will  allow  time ;  and  I 
suppose  it  will,  for  Duquesne  can  hardly  detain  me  above  three 
or  four  days ;  and  then  I  see  nothing  that  can  obstruct  my 
march  to  Niagara/'  Having  before  revolv'd  in  my  mind  the 
long  line  his  army  must  make  in  their  march  by  a  very  narrow 
road,  to  be  cut  for  them  thro'  the  woods  and  bushes,  and  also 
what  I  had  read  of  a  former  defeat  of  fifteen  hundred  French, 
who  invaded  the  Iroquois  country,  I  had  conceiv'd  some  doubts 
and  some  fears  for  the  event  of  the  campaign.  But  I  ventur'd 
only  to  say,  "To  be  sure,  sir,  if  you  arrive  well  before  Duquesne, 
with  these  fine  troops,  so  well  provided  with  artillery,  that  place 
not  yet  completely  fortified,  and  as  we  hear  with  no  very  strong 
garrison,  can  probably  make  but  a  short  resistance.  The  only 
danger  I  apprehen4  of  obstruction  to  your  march  is  from  am 
buscades  of  Indians,  who,  by  constant  practice,  are  dexterous  in 
laying  and  executing  them ;  and  the  slender  line,  near  four 
miles  long,  which  your  army  must  make,  may  expose  it  to  be 
attack'd  by  surprise  in  its  flanks,  and  to  be  cut  like  a  thread  into 
several  pieces,  which,  from  their  distance,  can  not  come  up  in 
time  to  support  each  other." 

He  smil'd  at  my  ignorance,  and  reply'd,  "  These  savages 
may,  indeed,  be  a  formidable  enemy  to  your  raw  American 
militia,  but  upo*i  the  king's  regular  and  disciplin'd  troops,  sir, 
it  is  impossible  they  should  make  any  impression."  I  was  con 
scious  of  an  impropriety  in  my  disputing  with  a  military  man 
in  matters  of  his  profession,  and  said  no  more.  The  enemy, 
however,  did  not  take  the  advantage  of  his  army  which  I  ap 
prehended  its  long  line  of  march  expos'd  it  to,  but  let  it  advance 
without  interruption  till  within  nine  miles  of  the  place ;  and 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  151 

then,  when  more  in  a  body  (for  it  had  just  passed  a  river,  where 
the  front  had  halted  till  all  were  come  over),  and  in  a  more 
open  part  of  the  woods  than  any  it  had  pass'd,  attack' d  its  ad 
vance  guard  by  a  heavy  fire  from  behind  trees  and  bushes,  which 
was  the  first  intelligence  the  general  had  of  an  enemy's  being 
near  him.  This  guard  being  disordered,  the  general  hurried 
the  troops  up  to  their  assistance,  which  was  done  in  great  con 
fusion,  thro'  waggons,  baggage,  and  cattle ;  and  presently  the 
fire  came  upon  their  flank :  the  officers,  being  on  horseback, 
were  more  easily  distinguish' d,  pick'd  out  as  marks,  and  fell 
very  fast ;  and  the  soldiers  were  crowded  together  in  a  huddle, 
having  or  hearing  no  orders,  and  standing  to  be  shot  at  till 
two- thirds  of  them  were  killed;  and  then,  being  seiz'd  with 
a  panick,  the  whole  fled  with  precipitation. 

The  waggoners  took  each  a  horse  out  of  his  team  and  scam- 
per'd ;  their  example  was  immediately  followed  by  others  ;  so 
that  all  the  waggons,  provisions,  artillery,  and  stores  were  left 
to  the  enemy.  The  general,  being  wounded,  was  brought  off 
with  difficulty ;  his  secretary,  Mr  Shirley,  was  killed  by  his 
side ;  and  out  of  eighty -six  officers,  sixty-three  were  killed  or 
wounded,  and  seven  hundred  and  fourteen  men  killed  out  of 
eleven  hundred.  These  eleven  hundred  had  been  picked  men 
from  the  whole  army  •  the  rest  had  been  left  behind  with  Col 
onel  D  unbar,  who  was  to  follow  with  the  heavier  part  of  the 
stores,  provisions,  and  baggage.  The  flyers,  not  being  pursu'd, 
arriv'd  at  Dunbar's  camp,  and  the  panick  they  brought  with 
them  instantly  seiz'd  him  and  all  his  people  ;  and,  tho'  he  had 
now  above  one  thousand  men,  and  the  enemy  who  had  beaten 
Braddock  did  not  at  most  exceed  four  hundred  Indians  and 
French  together,  instead  of  proceeding,  and  endeavoring  to 
recover  some  of  the  lost  honour,  he  ordered  all  the  stores,  am 
munition,  etc.,  to  be  destroy 'd,  that  he  might  have  more  horses 
to  assist  his  flight  towards  the  settlements,  and  less  lumber  to 
remove.  He  was  there  met  with  requests  from  the  governors 


152,      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

of  Virginia,  Maryland,  and  Pennsylvania,  that  he  would  post 
his  troops  on  the  frontier,  so  as  to  afford  some  protection  to  the 
inhabitants;  but  he  continu'd  his  hasty  march  thro'  all  the 
country,  not  thinking  himself  safe  till  he  arriv'd  at  Philadel 
phia,  where  the  inhabitants  could  protect  him.  This  whole 
transaction  gave  us  Americans  the  first  suspicion  that  our  ex 
alted  ideas  of  the  prowess  of  British  regulars  had  not  been  well 
founded. 

In  their  first  march,  too,  from  their  landing  till  they  got 
beyond  the  settlements,  they  had  plundered  and  stripped  the 
inhabitants,  totally  ruining  some  poor  families,  besides  insulting, 
abusing,  and  confining  the  people  if  they  remonstrated.  This 
was  enough  to  put  us  out  of  conceit  of  such  defenders,  if  we 
had  really  wanted  any.  How  different  was  the  conduct  of  our 
French  friends  in  1781,  who,  during  a  march  thro'  the  most 
inhabited  part  of  our  country  from  Rhode  Island  to  Virginia, 
near  seven  hundred  miles,  occasioned  not  the  smallest  com 
plaint  for  the  loss  of  a  pig,  a  chicken,  or  even  an  apple. 

Captain  Orme,  who  was  one  of  the  general's  aids-de-camp, 
and,  being  grievously  wounded,  was  brought  off  with  him, 
and  continu'd  with  him  to  his  death,  which  happen' d  in  a  few 
days,  told  me  that  he  was  totally  silent  all  the  first  day,  and  at 
night  only  said,  "Who  would  have  thought  it?"  That  he  was 
silent  again  the  following  day,  saying  only  at  last,  "  We  shall 
better  know  how  to  deal  with  them  another  time ;"  and  dy'd  in 
a  few  minutes  after. 

The  secretary's  papers,  with  all  the  general's  orders,  instruc 
tions,  and  correspondence,  falling  into  the  enemy's  hands,  they 
selected  and  translated  into  French  a  number  of  the  articles, 
which  they  printed,  to  prove  the  hostile  intentions  of  the  British 
court  before  the  declaration  of  war.  Among  these  I  saw  some 
letters  of  the  general  to  the  ministry,  speaking  highly  of  the 
great  service  I  had  rendered  the  army,  and  recommending  me 
to  their  notice.  David  Hume,  too,  who  was  some  years  after 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          153 

secretary  to  Lord  Hertford,  when  minister  in  France,  and  after 
ward  to  General  Con  way,  when  secretary  of  state,  told  me  he 
had  seen  among  the  papers  in  that  office,  letters  from  Brad- 
dock  highly  recommending  me.  But,  the  expedition  having 
been  unfortunate,  my  service,  it  seems,  was  not  thought  of 
much  value,  for  those  recommendations  were  never  of  any  use 
to  me. 

As  to  rewards  from  himself,  I  ask'd  only  one,  which  was, 
that  he  would  give  orders  to  his  officers  not  to  enlist  any  more 
of  our  bought  servants,  and  that  he  would  discharge  such  as  had 
been  already  enlisted.  This  he  readily  granted,  and  several  were 
accordingly  return' d  to  their  masters,  on  my  application.  Dun- 
bar,  when  the  command  devolv'd  on  him,  was  not  so  generous. 
He  being  at  Philadelphia,  on  his  retreat,  or  rather  flight,  I  ap 
ply 'd  to  him  for  the  discharge  of  the  servants  of  three  poor 
farmers  of  Lancaster  county  that  he  had  enlisted,  reminding 
him  of  the  late  general's  orders  on  that  head.  He  promised  me 
that,  if  the  masters  would  come  to  him  at  Trenton,  where  he 
should  be  in  a  few  days  on  his  march  to  New  York,  he  would 
there  deliver  their  men  to  them.  They  accordingly  were  at 
the  expense  and  trouble  of  going  to  Trenton,  and  there  he 
refus'd  to  perform  his  promise,  to  their  great  loss  and  disap 
pointment. 

As  soon  as  the  loss  of  the  waggons  and  horses  was  generally 
known,  all  the  owners  came  upon  me  for  the  valuation  which 
I  had  given  bond  to  pay.  Their  demands  gave  me  a  great  deal 
of  trouble,  my  acquainting  them  that  the  money  was  ready  in 
the  paymaster's  hands,  but  that  orders  for  paying  it  must  first 
be  obtained  from  General  Shirley,  and  my  assuring  them  that 
I  had  apply 'd  to  that  general  by  letter ;  but,  he  being  at  a  dis 
tance,  an  answer  could  not  soon  be  receiv'd,  and  they  must 
have  patience,  all  this  was  not  sufficient  to  satisfy,  and  some 
began  to  sue  me.  General  Shirley  at  length  relieved  me  from 
this  terrible  situation  by  appointing  commissioners  to  examine 


154      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

the  claims,  and  ordering  payment.  They  amounted  to  near 
twenty  thousand  pound,  which  to  pay  would  have  ruined  me. 

Before  we  had  the  news  of  this  defeat,  the  two  Doctors  Bond 
came  to  me  with  a  subscription  paper  for  raising  money  to  de 
fray  the  expense  of  a  grand  firework,  which  it  was  intended  to 
exhibit  at  a  rejoicing  on  receipt  of  the  news  of  our  taking  Fort 
Duquesne.  I  looked  grave,  and  said  it  would,  I  thought,  be 
time  enough  to  prepare  for  the  rejoicing  when  we  knew  we 
should  have  occasion  to  rejoice.  They  seem'd  surpris'd  that 
I  did  not  immediately  comply  with  their  proposal.  "  Why  the 
d — 1!"  says  one  of  them,  "you  surely  don't  suppose  that 
the  fort  will  not  be  taken?"  "I  don't  know  that  it  will  not 
be  taken,  but  I  know  that  the  events  of  war  are  subject  to 
great  uncertainty."  I  gave  thjem  the  reasons  of  my  doubting; 
the  subscription  was  dropt,  and  the  projectors  thereby  missed 
the  mortification  they  would  have  undergone  if  the  firework 
had  been  prepared.  Dr  Bond,  on  some  other  occasion  after 
ward,  said  that  he  did  not  like  Franklin's  forebodings. 

Governor  Morris,  who  had  continually  worried  the  Assem 
bly  with  message  after  message  before  the  defeat  of  Braddock, 
to  beat  them  into  the  making  of  acts  to  raise  money  for  the 
defense  of  the  province,  without  taxing,  among  others,  the  pro 
prietary  estates,  and  had  rejected  all  their  bills  for  not  having 
such  an  exempting  clause,  now  redoubled  his  attacks  with  more 
hope  of  success,  the  danger  and  necessity  being  greater.  The 
Assembly,  however,  continu'd  firm,  believing  they  had  justice 
on  their  side,  and  that  it  would  be  giving  up  an  essential  right 
if  they  suffered  the  governor  to  amend  their  money-bills.  In 
one  of  the  last,  indeed,  which  was  for  granting  fifty  thousand 
pounds,  his  propos'd  amendment  was  only  of  a  single  word. 
The  bill  express'd  "that  all  estates,  real  and  personal,  were  to 
be  taxed,  those  of  the  proprietaries  not  excepted."  His  amend 
ment  was,  for  not  read  only :  a  small,  but  very  material  altera 
tion.  However,  when  the  news  of  this  disaster  reached  Eng- 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  155 

land,  our  friends  there,  whom  we  had  taken  care  to  furnish 
with  all  the  Assembly's  answers  to  the  governor's  messages, 
rais'd  a  clamor  against  the  proprietaries  for  their  meanness  and 
injustice  in  giving  their  governor  such  instructions ;  some  going 
so  far  as  to  say  that,  by  obstructing  the  defense  of  their  province, 
they  forfeited  their  right  to  it.  They  were  intimidated  by  this, 
and  sent  orders  to  their  receiver-general  to  add  five  thousand 
pounds  of  their  money  to  whatever  sum  might  be  given  by  the 
Assembly  for  such  purpose. 

This,  being  notified  to  the  House,  was  accepted  in  lieu  of 
their  share  of  a  general  tax,  and  a  new  bill  was  form'd,  with  an 
exempting  clause,  which  passed  accordingly.  By  this  act  I  was 
appointed  one  of  the  commissioners  for  disposing  of  the  money, 
sixty  thousand  pounds.  I  had  been  active  in  modelling  the  bill 
and  procuring  its  passage,  and  had,  at  the  same  time,  drawn  a 
bill  for  establishing  and  disciplining  a  voluntary  militia,  which 
I  carried  thro'  the  House  without  much  difficulty,  as  care  was 
taken  in  it  to  leave  the  Quakers  at  their  liberty.  To  promote 
the  association  necessary  to  form  the  militia,  I  wrote  a  dialogue,1 
stating  and  answering  all  the  objections  I  could  think  of  to  such 
a  militia,  which  was  printed,  and  had,  as  I  thought,  great  effect. 

While  the  several  companies  in  the  city  and  country  were 
forming,  and  learning  their  exercise,  the  governor  prevail'd 
with  me  to  take  charge  of  our  North-western  frontier,  which 
was  infested  by  the  enemy,  and  provide  for  the  defense  of  the 
inhabitants  by  raising  troops  and  building  a  line  of  forts.  I 
undertook  this  military  business,  tho'  I  did  not  conceive  my 
self  well  qualified  for  it.  He  gave  me  a  commission  with  full 
powers,  and  a  parcel  of  blank  commissions  for  officers,  to  be 
given  to  whom  I  thought  fit.  I  had  but  little  difficulty  in  rais 
ing  men,  having  soon  five  hundred  and  sixty  under  my  com 
mand.  My  son,  who  had  in  the  preceding  war  been  an  officer 

1  This  dialogue  and  the  militia  act  are  in  the  Gentleman*  $  Magazine  for  February  and 
March,  1756.  —  Marg.  note. 


156       THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

in  the  army  rais'd  against  Canada,  was  my  aid-de-camp,  and  of 
great  use  to  me.  The  Indians  had  burned  Gnadenhut,  a  village 
settled  by  the  Moravians,  and  massacred  the  inhabitants ;  but 
the  place  was  thought  a  good  situation  for  one  of  the  forts. 

In  order  to  march  thither,  I  assembled  the  companies  at 
Bethlehem,  the  chief  establishment  of  those  people.  I  was 
surprised  to  find  it  in  so  good  a  posture  of  defense;  the  destruc 
tion  of  Gnadenhut  had  made  them  apprehend  danger.  The 
principal  buildings  were  defended  by  a  stockade ;  they  had  pur 
chased  a  quantity  of  arms  and  ammunition  from  New  York,  and 
had  even  plac'd  quantities  of  small  paving  stones  between  the 
windows  of  their  high  stone  houses,  for  their  women  to  throw 
down  upon  the  heads  of  any  Indians  that  should  attempt  to 
force  into  them.  The  armed  brethren,  too,  kept  watch,  and 
reliev'd  as  methodically  as  in  any  garrison  town.  In  conver 
sation  with  the  bishop,  Spangenberg,  I  mention' d  this  my  sur 
prise;  for,  knowing  they  had  obtained  an  act  of  Parliament 
exempting  them  from  military  duties  in  the  colonies,  I  had 
suppos'd  they  were  conscientiously  scrupulous  of  bearing  arms. 
He  answer'd  me  that  it  was  not  one  of  their  established  prin 
ciples,  but  that,  at  the  time  of  their  obtaining  that  act,  it  was 
thought  to  be  a  principle  with  many  of  their  people.  On  this 
occasion,  however,  they,  to  their  surprise,  found  it  adopted  by 
but  a  few.  It  seems  they  were  either  deceiv'd  in  themselves,  or 
deceiv'd  the  Parliament;  but  common  sense,  aided  by  present 
danger,  will  sometimes  be  too  strong  for  whimsical  opinions. 

It  was  the  beginning  of  January  when  we  set  out  upon  this 
business  of  building  forts.  I  sent  one  detachment  toward  the 
Minisink,  with  instructions  to  erect  one  for  the  security  of  that 
upper  part  of  the  country,  and  another  to  the  lower  part,  with 
similar  instructions ;  and  I  concluded  to  go  myself  with  the 
rest  of  my  force  to  Gnadenhut,  where  a  fort  was  tho't  more 
immediately  necessary.  The  Moravians  procur'd  me  five  wag 
gons  for  our  tools,  stores,  baggage,  etc. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          157 

Just  before  we  left  Bethlehem,  eleven  farmers,  who  had 
been  driven  from  their  plantations  by  the  Indians,  came  to  me 
requesting  a  supply  of  firearms,  that  they  might  go  back  and 
fetch  off  their  cattle.  I  gave  them  each  a  gun  with  suitable 
ammunition.  We  had  not  march' d  many  miles  before  it  began 
to  rain,  and  it  continued  raining  all  day;  there  were  no  habi 
tations  on  the  road  to  shelter  us,  till  we  arriv'd  near  night  at 
the  house  of  a  German,  where,  in  his  barn,  we  were  all  hud 
dled  together,  as  wet  as  water  could  make  us.  It  was  well  we 
were  not  attack'd  in  our  march,  for  our  arms  were  of  the  most 
ordinary  sort,  and  our  men  could  not  keep  their  gun  locks  dry. 
The  Indians  are  dextrous  in  contrivances  for  that  purpose, 
which  we  had  not.  They  met  that  day  the  eleven  poor  farmers 
above  mentioned, and  killed  ten  of  them.  The  one  who  escap'd 
inform'd  that  his  and  his  companions'  guns  would  not  go  off, 
the  priming  being  wet  with  the  rain. 

The  next  day  being  fair,  we  continu'd  our  march,  and  arriv'd 
at  the  desolated  Gnadenhut.  There  was  a  saw-mill  near,  round 
which  were  left  several  piles  of  boards,  with  which  we  soon 
hutted  ourselves ;  an  operation  the  more  necessary  at  that  in 
clement  season,  as  we  had  no  tents.  Our  first  work  was  to  bury 
more  effectually  the  dead  we  found  there,  who  had  been  half 
interr'd  by  the  country  people. 

The  next  morning  our  fort  was  plann'd  and  mark'd  out, 
the  circumference  measuring  four  hundred  and  fifty-five  feet, 
which  would  require  as  many  palisades  to  be  made  of  trees,  one 
with  another,  of  a  foot  diameter  each.  Our  axes,  of  which  we 
had  seventy,  were  immediately  set  to  work  to  cut  down  trees, 
and,  our  men  being  dextrous  in  the  use  of  them,  great  despatch 
was  made.  Seeing  the  trees  fall  so  fast,  I  had  the  curiosity  to 
look  at  my  watch  when  two  men  began  to  cut  at  a  pine ;  in  six 
minutes  they  had  it  upon  the  ground,  and  I  found  it  of  fourteen 
inches  diameter.  Each  pine  made  three  palisades  eighteen 
feet  long,  pointed  at  one  end.  While  these  were  preparing, 


158      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

our  other  men  dug  a  trench  all  round,  of  three  feet  deep,  in 
which  the  palisades  were  to  be  planted  ;  and,  our  waggons,  the 
bodys  being  taken  off,  and  the  fore  and  hind  wheels  separated 
by  taking  out  the  pin  which  united  the  two  parts  of  the  perch, 
we  had  ten  carriages,  with  two  horses  each,  to  bring  the  pali 
sades  from  the  woods  to  the  spot.  When  they  were  set  up,  our 
carpenters  built  a  stage  of  boards  all  round  within,  about  six 
feet  high,  for  the  men  to  stand  on  when  to  fire  thro'  the  loop 
holes.  We  had  one  swivel  gun,  which  we  mounted  on  one  of 
the  angles,  and  fir' d  it  as  soon  as  fix'd,  to  let  the  Indians  know, 
if  any  were  within  hearing,  that  we  had  such  pieces ;  and  thus 
our  fort,  if  such  a  magnificent  name  may  be  given  to  so  miser 
able  a  stockade,  was  finish' d  in  a  week,  though  it  rain'd  so  hard 
every  other  day  that  the  men  could  not  work. 

This  gave  me  occasion  to  observe,  that,  when  men  are  em- 
ploy'd,  they  are  best  contented;  for  on  the  days  they  worked 
they  were  good-natur'd  and  cheerful,  and,  with  the  conscious 
ness  of  having  done  a  good  day's  work,  they  spent  the  evening 
jollily ;  but  on  our  idle  days  they  were  mutinous  and  quarrel 
some,  finding  fault  with  their  pork,  the  bread,  etc.,  and  in  con 
tinual  ill-humor,  which  put  me  in  mind  of  a  sea-captain,  whose 
rule  it  was  to  keep  his  men  constantly  at  work ;  and,  when  his 
mate  once  told  him  that  they  had  done  every  thing,  and  there 
was  nothing  further  to  employ  them  about,  "O^,"  said  hey 
"  make  them  scour  the  anchor." 

This  kind  of  fort,  however  contemptible,  is  a  sufficient  de 
fense  against  Indians,  who  had  no  cannon.  Finding  ourselves 
now  posted  securely,  and  having  a  place  to  retreat  to  on  occa 
sion,  we  ventur'd  out  in  parties  to  scour  the  adjacent  country. 
We  met  with  no  Indians,  but  we  found  the  places  on  the  neigh 
boring  hills  where  they  had  lain  to  watch  our  proceedings. 
There  was  an  art  in  their  contrivance  of  those  places  that  seems 
worth  mention.  It  being  winter,  a  fire  was  necessary  for  them ; 
but  a  common  fire  on  the  surface  of  the  ground  would  by  its 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          159 

light  have  discover' d  their  position  at  a  distance.  They  had 
therefore  dug  holes  in  the  ground  about  three  feet  diameter, 
and  somewhat  deeper ;  we  saw  where  they  had  with  their 
hatchets  cut  off  the  charcoal  from  the  sides  of  burnt  logs  lying 
in  the  woods.  With  these  coals  they  had  made  small  fires  in 
the  bottom  of  the  holes,  and  we  observ'd  among  the  weeds  and 
grass  the  prints  of  their  bodies,  made  by  their  laying  all  round, 
with  their  legs  hanging  down  in  the  holes  to  keep  their  feet 
warm,  which,  with  them,  is  an  essential  point.  This  kind  of 
fire,  so  manag'd,  could  not  discover  them,  either  by  its  light, 
flame,  sparks,  or  even  smoke :  it  appear' d  that  their  number  was 
not  great,  and  it  seems  they  saw  we  were  too  many  to  be  attacked 
by  them  with  prospect  of  advantage. 

We  had  for  our  chaplain  a  zealous  Presbyterian  minister,  Mr 
Beatty,  who  complained  to  me  that  the  men  did  not  generally 
attend  his  prayers  and  exhortations.  When  they  enlisted,  they 
were  promised,  besides  pay  and  provisions,  a  gill  of  rum  a  day, 
which  was  punctually  serv'd  out  to  them,  half  in  the  morning, 
and  the  other  half  in  the  evening;  and  I  observ'd  they  were  as 
punctual  in  attending  to  receive  it ;  upon  which  I  said  to  Mr 
Beatty,  "  It  is,  perhaps,  below  the  dignity  of  your  profession 
to  act  as  steward  of  the  rum,  but  if  you  were  to  deal  it  out 
and  only  just  after  prayers,  you  would  have  them  all  about 
you."  He  liked  the  tho't,  undertook  the  office,  and,  with  the 
help  of  a  few  hands  to  measure  out  the  liquor,  executed  it  to 
satisfaction,  and  never  were  prayers  more  generally  and  more 
punctually  attended ;  so  that  I  thought  this  method  preferable 
to  the  punishment  inflicted  by  some  military  laws  for  non- 
attendance  on  divine  service. 

I  had  hardly  finish'd  this  business,  and  got  my  fort  well 
stor'd  with  provisions,  when  I  receiv'd  a  letter  from  the  gov 
ernor,  acquainting  me  that  he  had  call'd  the  Assembly,  and 
wished  my  attendance  there,  if  the  posture  of  affairs  on  the 
frontiers  was  such  that  my  remaining  there  was  no  longer  nee- 


160      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

essary.  My  friends,  too,  of  the  Assembly,  pressing  me  by  their 
letters  to  be,  if  possible,  at  the  meeting,  and  my  three  intended 
forts  being  now  compleated,  and  the  inhabitants  contented 
to  remain  on  their  farms  under  that  protection,  I  resolved  to 
return ;  the  more  willingly,  as  a  New  England  officer,  Colonel 
Clapham,  experienced  in  Indian  war,  being  on  a  visit  to  our 
establishment,  consented  to  accept  the  command.  I  gave  him 
a  commission,  and,  parading  the  garrison,  had  it  read  before 
them,  and  introduc'd  him  to  them  as  an  officer  who,  from  his 
skill  in  military  affairs,  was  much  more  fit  to  command  them 
than  myself;  and,  giving  them  a  little  exhortation,  took  my 
leave.  I  was  escorted  as  far  as  Bethlehem,  where  I  rested  a  few 
days  to  recover  from  the  fatigue  I  had  undergone.  The  first 
night,  being  in  a  good  bed,  I  could  hardly  sleep,  it  was  so  dif 
ferent  from  my  hard  lodging  on  the  floor  of  our  hut  at  Gnaden 
wrapt  only  in  a  blanket  or  two. 

While  at  Bethlehem,  I  inquir'd  a  little  into  the  practice  of 
the  Moravians :  some  of  them  had  accompanied  me,  and  all 
were  very  kind  to  me.  I  found  they  work'd  for  a  common 
stock,  eat  at  common  tables,  and  slept  in  common  dormitories, 
great  numbers  together.  In  the  dormitories  I  observed  loop 
holes,  at  certain  distances  all  along  just  under  the  ceiling,  which 
I  thought  judiciously  placed  for  change  of  air.  I  was  at  their 
church,  where  I  was  entertain' d  with  good  musick,  the  organ 
being  accompanied  with  violins,  hautboys,  flutes,  clarinets,  etc. 
I  understood  that  their  sermons  were  not  usually  preached  to 
mixed  congregations  of  men,  women,  and  children,  as  is  our 
common  practice,  but  that  they  assembled  sometimes  the  mar 
ried  men,  at  other  times  their  wives,  then  the  young  men,  the 
young  women,  and  the  little  children,  each  division  by  itself. 
The  sermon  I  heard  was  to  the  latter,  who  came  in  and  were 
plac'd  in  rows  on  benches;  the  boys  under  the  conduct  of  a 
young  man,  their  tutor,  and  the  girls  conducted  by  a  young 
woman.  The  discourse  seem'd  well  adapted  to  their  capacities, 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          161 

and  was  deliver' d  in  a  pleasing,  familiar  manner,  coaxing  them, 
as  it  were,  to  be  good.  They  behav'd  very  orderly,  but  looked 
pale  and  unhealthy,  which  made  me  suspect  they  were  kept  too 
much  within  doors,  or  not  allow' d  sufficient  exercise. 

I  inquir'd  concerning  the  Moravian  marriages,  whether  the 
report  was  true  that  they  were  by  lot.  I  was  told  that  lots  were 
us'd  only  in  particular  cases ;  that  generally,  when  a  young  man 
found  himself  dispos'd  to  marry,  he  inform'd  the  elders  of  his 
class,  who  consulted  the  elder  ladies  that  govern' d  the  young 
women.  As  these  elders  of  the  different  sexes  were  well  ac 
quainted  with  the  tempers  and  dispositions  of  their  respective 
pupils,  they  could  best  judge  what  matches  were  suitable,  and 
their  judgments  were  generally  acquiesc'd  in ;  but  if,  for  ex 
ample,  it  should  happen  that  two  or  three  young  women  were 
found  to  be  equally  proper  for  the  young  man,  the  lot  was  then 
recurred  to.  I  objected,  if  the  matches  are  not  made  by  the 
mutual  choice  of  the  parties,  some  of  them  may  chance  to  be 
very  unhappy.  "  And  so  they  may,"  answer' d  my  informer, 
"if  you  let  the  parties  chuse  for  themselves;"  which,  indeed, 
I  could  not  deny. 

Being  returned  to  Philadelphia,  I  found  the  association  went 
on  swimmingly,  the  inhabitants  that  were  not  Quakers  having 
pretty  generally  come  into  it,  formed  themselves  into  compa 
nies,  and  chose  their  captains,  lieutenants,  and  ensigns,  accord 
ing  to  the  new  law.  Dr  B.  visited  me,  and  gave  me  an  account 
of  the  pains  he  had  taken  to  spread  a  general  good  liking  to 
the  law,  and  ascribed  much  to  those  endeavors.  I  had  had  the 
vanity  to  ascribe  all  to  my  Dialogue ;  however,  not  knowing  but 
that  he  might  be  in  the  right,  I  let  him  enjoy  his  opinion, 
which  I  take  to  be  generally  the  best  way  in  such  cases.  The 
officers,  meeting,  chose  me  to  be  colonel  of  the  regiment,  which 
I  this  time  accepted.  I  forget  how  many  companies  we  had, 
but  we  paraded  about  twelve  hundred  well-looking  men,  with 
a  company  of  artillery,  who  had  been  furnished  with  six  brass 


162,      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

field-pieces,  which  they  had  become  so  expert  in  the  use  of  as 
to  fire  twelve  times  in  a  minute.  The  first  time  I  reviewed 
my  regiment  they  accompanied  me  to  my  house,  and  would 
salute  me  with  some  rounds  fired  before  my  door,  which  shook 
down  and  broke  several  glasses  of  my  electrical  apparatus.  And 
my  new  honour  proved  not  much  less  brittle;  for  all  our 
commissions  were  soon  after  broken'by  a  repeal  of  the  law  in 
England. 

During  this  short  time  of  my  colonelship,  being  about  to 
set  out  on  a  journey  to  Virginia,  the  officers  of  my  regiment 
took  it  into  their  heads  that  it  would  be  proper  for  them  to 
escort  me  out  of  town,  as  far  as  the  Lower  Ferry.  Just  as  I  was 
getting  on  horseback  they  came  to  my  door,  between  thirty 
and  forty,  mounted,  and  all  in  their  uniforms.  I  had  not  been 
previously  acquainted  with  the  project,  or  I  should  have  pre 
vented  it,  being  naturally  averse  to  the  assuming  of  state  on 
any  occasion;  and  I  was  a  good  deal  chagrin'd  at  their  appear 
ance,  as  I  could  not  avoid  their  accompanying  me.  What  made 
it  worse  was,  that,  as  soon  as  we  began  to  move,  they  drew  their 
swords  and  rode  with  them  naked  all  the  way.  Somebody  wrote 
an  account  of  this  to  the  proprietor,  and  it  gave  him  great 
offense.  No  such  honour  had  been  paid  him  when  in  the 
province,  nor  to  any  of  his  governors ;  and  he  said  it  was  only 
proper  to  princes  of  the  blood  royal,  which  may  be  true  for 
aught  I  know,  who  was,  and  still  am,  ignorant  of  the  etiquette 
in  such  cases. 

This  silly  affair,  however,  greatly  increased  his  rancour 
against  me,  which  was  before  not  a  little,  on  account  of  my 
conduct  in  the  Assembly  respecting  the  exemption  of  his  estate 
from  taxation,  which  I  had  always  oppos'd  very  warmly,  and 
not  without  severe  reflections  on  his  meanness  and  injustice 
of  contending  for  it.  He  accused  me  to  the  ministry  as  being 
the  great  obstacle  to  the  king's  service,  preventing,  by  my 
influence  in  the  House,  the  proper  form  of  the  bills  for  raising 


BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN          163 

money,  and  he  instanced  this  parade  with  my  officers  as  a  proof 
of  my  having  an  intention  to  take  the  government  of  the  pro 
vince  out  of  his  hands  by  force.  He  also  applied  to  Sir  Everard 
Fawkener,  the  postmaster-general,  to  deprive  me  of  my  office ; 
but  it  had  no  other  effect  than  to  procure  from  Sir  Everard  a 
gentle  admonition. 

Notwithstanding  the  continual  wrangle  between  the  gov 
ernor  and  the  House,  in  which  I,  as  a  member,  had  so  large  a 
share,  there  still  subsisted  a  civil  intercourse  between  that  gen 
tleman  and  myself,  and  we  never  had  any  personal  difference. 
I  have  sometimes  since  thought  that  this  little  or  no  resentment 
against  me,  for  the  answers  it  was  known  I  drew  up  to  his  mes 
sages,  might  be  the  effect  of  professional  habit,  and  that,  being 
bred  a  lawyer,  he  might  consider  us  both  as  merely  advocates 
for  contending  clients  in  a  suit,  he  for  the  proprietaries  and 
I  for  the  Assembly.  He  would,  therefore,  sometimes  call  in 
a  friendly  way  to  advise  with  me  on  difficult  points,  and  some 
times,  tho'  not  often,  take  my  advice. 

We  acted  in  concert  to  supply  Braddock's  army  with  pro 
visions  ;  and,  when  the  shocking  news  arrived  of  his  defeat,  the 
governor  sent  in  haste  for  me,  to  consult  with  him  on  measures 
for  preventing  the  desertion  of  the  back  counties.  I  forget  now 
the  advice  I  gave;  but  I  think  it  was,  that  Dunbar  should  be 
written  to,  and  prevail'd  with,  if  possible,  to  post  his  troops  on 
the  frontiers  for  their  protection,  till,  by  re- enforcements  from 
the  colonies,  he  might  be  able  to  proceed  on  the  expedition. 
And,  after  my  return  from  the  frontier,  he  would  have  had  me 
undertake  the  conduct  of  such  an  expedition  with  provincial 
troops,  for  the  reduction  of  Fort  Duquesne,  Dunbar  and  his 
men  being  otherwise  employed ;  and  he  proposed  to  commis 
sion  me  as  general.  I  had  not  so  good  an  opinion  of  my  military 
abilities  as  he  profess' d  to  have,  and  I  believe  his  professions 
must  have  exceeded  his  real  sentiments ;  but  probably  he  might 
think  that  my  popularity  would  facilitate  the  raising  of  the  men, 


164      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

and  my  influence  in  Assembly,  the  grant  of  money  to  pay  them, 
and  that,  perhaps,  without  taxing  the  proprietary  estate.  Find 
ing  me  not  so  forward  to  engage  as  he  expected,  the  project 
was  dropt,  and  he  soon  after  left  the  government,  being  super 
seded  by  Captain  Denny. 

Before  I  proceed  in  relating  the  part  I  had  in  publick  affairs 
under  this  new  governor's  administration,  it  may  not  be  amiss 
here  to  give  some  account  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  my  phil 
osophical  reputation. 

In  1746,  being  at  Boston,  I  met  there  with  a  Dr  Spence, 
who  was  lately  arrived  from  Scotland,  and  show'd  me  some 
electric  experiments.  They  were  imperfectly  perform' d,  as  he 
was  not  very  expert ;  but,  being  on  a  subject  quite  new  to  me, 
they  equally  surpris'd  and  pleased  me.  Soon  after  my  return 
to  Philadelphia,  our  library  company  receiv'd  from  Mr  P. 
Collinson,  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society  of  London,  a  present 
of  a  glass  tube,  with  some  account  of  the  use  of  it  in  making 
such  experiments.  I  eagerly  seized  the  opportunity  of  repeating 
what  I  had  seen  at  Boston;  and,  by  much  practice,  acquir'd 
great  readiness  in  performing  those,  also,  which  we  had  an  ac 
count  of  from  England,  adding  a  number  of  new  ones.  I  say 
much  practice,  for  my  house  was  continually  full,  for  some 
time,  with  people  who  came  to  see  these  new  wonders. 

To  divide  a  little  this  incumbrance  among  my  friends,  I 
caused  a  number  of  similar  tubes  to  be  blown  at  our  glass-house, 
with  which  they  furnish' d  themselves,  so  that  we  had  at  length 
several  performers.  Among  these,  the  principal  was  Mr  Kin- 
nersley,  an  ingenious  neighbor,  who,  being  out  of  business,  I 
encouraged  to  undertake  showing  the  experiments  for  money, 
and  drew  up  for  him  two  lectures,  in  which  the  experiments 
were  rang'd  in  such  order,  and  accompanied  with  such  explan 
ations  in  such  method,  as  that  the  foregoing  should  assist  in 
comprehending  the  following.  He  procur'd  an  elegant  ap 
paratus  for  the  purpose,  in  which  all  the  little  machines  that 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  165 

I  had  roughly  made  for  myself  were  nicely  form'd  by  instru 
ment  makers.  His  lectures  were  well  attended,  and  gave 
great  satisfaction;  and  after  some  time  he  went  thro'  the 
colonies,  exhibiting  them  in  every  capital  town,  and  pick'd  up 
some  money.  In  the  West  India  islands,  indeed,  it  was  with 
difficulty  the  experiments  could  be  made,  from  the  general 
moisture  of  the  air. 

Oblig'd  as  we  were  to  Mr  Collinson  for  his  present  of  the 
tube,  etc.,  I  thought  it  right  he  should  be  inform'd  of  our 
success  in  using  it,  and  wrote  him  several  letters  containing 
accounts  of  our  experiments.  He  got  them  read  in  the  Royal 
Society,  where  they  were  not  at  first  thought  worth  so  much 
notice  as  to  be  printed  in  their  Transactions.  One  paper,  which 
I  wrote  for  Mr  Kinnersley,  on  the  sameness  of  lightning  with 
electricity,  I  sent  to  Dr  Mitchel,  an  acquaintance  of  mine,  and 
one  of  the  members  also  of  that  society,  who  wrote  me  word 
that  it  had  been  read,  but  was  laughed  at  by  the  connoisseurs. 
The  papers,  however,  being  shown  to  Dr  Fothergill,  he  thought 
them  of  too  much  value  to  be  stifled,  and  advis'd  the  printing 
of  them.  Mr  Collinson  then  gave  them  to  Cave  for  publica 
tion  in  his  Gentleman's  Magazine ;  but  he  chose  to  print  them 
separately  in  a  pamphlet,  and  Dr  Fothergill  wrote  the  preface. 
Cave,  it  seems,  judged  rightly  for  his  profit,  for  by  the  additions 
that  arrived  afterward  they  swell'd  to  a  quarto  volume,  which 
has  had  five  editions,  and  cost  him  nothing  for  copy-money. 

It  was,  however,  some  time  before  those  papers  were  much 
taken  notice  of  in  England.  A  copy  of  them  happening  to  fall 
into  the  hands  of  the  Count  de  BufFon,  a  philosopher  deservedly 
of  great  reputation  in  France,  and,  indeed,  all  over  Europe,  he 
prevailed  with  M.  Dalibard  to  translate  them  into  French,  and 
they  were  printed  at  Paris.  The  publication  offended  the  Abbe 
Nollet,  preceptor  in  Natural  Philosophy  to  the  royal  family, 
and  an  able  experimenter,  who  had  form'd  and  publish'd  a 
theory  of  electricity,  which  then  had  the  general  vogue.  He 


1 66      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

could  not  at  first  believe  that  such  a  work  came  from  America, 
and  said  it  must  have  been  fabricated  by  his  enemies  at  Paris, 
to  decry  his  system.  Afterwards,  having  been  assur'd  that  there 
really  existed  such  a  person  as  Franklin  at  Philadelphia,  which 
he  had  doubted,  he  wrote  and  published  a  volume  of  Letters, 
chiefly  address'd  to  me,  defending  his  theory,  and  denying  the 
verity  of  my  experiments,  and  of  the  positions  deduc'd  from 
them. 

I  once  purpos'd  answering  the  abbe,  and  actually  began 
the  answer ;  but,  on  consideration  that  my  writings  contain' d 
a  description  of  experiments  which  any  one  might  repeat  and 
verify,  and  if  not  to  be  verifi'd,  could  not  be  defended;  or  of 
observations  ofFer'd  as  conjectures,  and  not  delivered  dogmatic 
ally,  therefore  not  laying  me  under  any  obligation  to  defend 
them;  and  reflecting  that  a  dispute  between  two  persons, 
writing  in  different  languages,  might  be  lengthened  greatly  by 
mistranslations,  and  thence  misconceptions  of  one  another's 
meaning,  much  of  one  of  the  abbe's  letters  being  founded  on 
an  error  in  the  translation,  I  concluded  to  let  my  papers  shift  for 
themselves,  believing  it  was  better  to  spend  what  time  I  could 
spare  from  public  business  in  making  new  experiments,  than  in 
disputing  about  those  already  made.  I  therefore  never  answered 
M.  Nollet,  and  the  event  gave  me  no  cause  to  repent  my  silence; 
for  my  friend  M.  le  Roy,  of  the  Royal  Academy  of  Sciences, 
took  up  my  cause  and  refuted  him;  my  book  was  translated 
into  the  Italian,  German,  and  Latin  languages ;  and  the  doc 
trine  it  contain' d  was  by  degrees  universally  adopted  by  the 
philosophers  of  Europe,  in  preference  to  that  of  the  abbe ;  so 
that  he  lived  to  see  himself  the  last  of  his  sect,  except  Monsieur 
B ,  of  Paris,  his  e feve  and  immediate  disciple. 

What  gave  my  book  the  more  sudden  and  general  celebrity, 
was  the  success  of  one  of  its  proposed  experiments,  made  by 
Messrs  Dalibard  and  De  Lor  at  Marly,  for  drawing  lightning 
from  the  clouds.  This  engaged  the  public  attention  every- 


feemfc  ff' 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          167 

where.  M.  de  Lor,  who  had  an  apparatus  for  experimental 
philosophy,  and  lectur'd  in  that  branch  of  science,  undertook 
to  repeat  what  he  called  the  Philadelphia  Experiments;  and, 
after  they  were  performed  before  the  king  and  court,  all  the 
curious  of  Paris  flocked  to  see  them.  I  will  not  swell  this  nar 
rative  with  an  account  of  that  capital  experiment,  nor  of  the 
infinite  pleasure  I  receiv'd  in  the  success  of  a  similar  one  I  made 
soon  after  with  a  kite  at  Philadelphia,  as  both  are  to  be  found 
in  the  histories  of  electricity. 

Dr  Wright,  an  English  physician,  when  at  Paris,  wrote  to 
a  friend,  who  was  of  the  Royal  Society,  an  account  of  the  high 
esteem  my  experiments  were  in  among  the  learned  abroad, 
and  of  their  wonder  that  my  writings  had  been  so  little  noticed 
in  England.  The  society,  on  this,  resum'd  the  consideration 
of  the  letters  that  had  been  read  to  them ;  and  the  celebrated 
Dr  Watson  drew  up  a  summary  account  of  them,  and  of  all  I 
had  afterwards  sent  to  England  on  the  subject,  which  he  ac 
companied  with  some  praise  of  the  writer.  This  summary  was 
then  printed  in  their  Transactions ;  and  some  members  of  the 
society  in  London,  particularly  the  very  ingenious  Mr  Canton, 
having  verified  the  experiment  of  procuring  lightning  from 
the  clouds  by  a  pointed  rod,  and  acquainting  them  with  the 
success,  they  soon  made  me  more  than  amends  for  the  slight 
with  which  they  had  before  treated  me.  Without  my  having 
made  any  application  for  that  honour,  they  chose  me  a  mem 
ber,  and  voted  that  I  should  be  excus'd  the  customary  payments, 
which  would  have  amounted  to  twenty-five  guineas ;  and  ever 
since  have  given  me  their  Transactions  gratis.  They  also  pre 
sented  me  with  the  gold  medal  of  Sir  Godfrey  Copley  for  the 
year  1753,  the  delivery  of  which  was  accompanied  by  a  very 
handsome  speech  of  the  president,  Lord  Macclesfield,  wherein 
I  was  highly  honoured. 

Our  new  governor,  Captain  Denny,  brought  over  for  me  the 
before-mentioned  medal  from  the  Royal  Society,  which  he 


1 68      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

presented  to  me  at  an  entertainment  given  him  by  the  city.  He 
accompanied  it  with  very  polite  expressions  of  his  esteem  for 
me,  having,  as  he  said,  been  long  acquainted  with  my  char 
acter.  After  dinner,  when  the  company,  as  was  customary  at 
that  time,  were  engag'd  in  drinking,  he  took  me  aside  into 
another  room,  and  acquainted  me  that  he  had  been  advis'd  by 
his  friends  in  England  to  cultivate  a  friendship  with  me,  as  one 
who  was  capable  of  giving  him  the  best  advice,  and  of  con 
tributing  most  effectually  to  the  making  his  administration 
easy ;  that  he  therefore  desired  of  all  things  to  have  a  good 
understanding  with  me,  and  he  begg'd  me  to  be  assur'd  of  his 
readiness  on  all  occasions  to  render  me  every  service  that  might 
be  in  his  power.  He  said  much  to  me,  also,  of  the  proprietor's 
good  disposition  towards  the  province,  and  of  the  advantage  it 
might  be  to  us  all,  and  to  me  in  particular,  if  the  opposition 
that  had  been  so  long  continu'd  to  his  measures  was  dropt,  and 
harmony  restor'd  between  him  and  the  people;  in  effecting 
which,  it  was  thought  no  one  could  be  more  serviceable  than 
myself;  and  I  might  depend  on  adequate  acknowledgments 
and  recompenses,  etc.,  etc.  The  drinkers,  finding  we  did  not 
return  immediately  to  the  table,  sent  us  a  decanter  of  Madeira, 
which  the  governor  made  liberal  use  of,  and  in  proportion  be 
came  more  profuse  of  his  solicitations  and  promises. 

My  answers  were  to  this  purpose :  that  my  circumstances, 
thanks  to  God,  were  such  as  to  make  proprietary  favours  un 
necessary  to  me ;  and  that,  being  a  member  of  the  Assembly, 
I  could  not  possibly  accept  of  any;  that,  however,  I  had  no 
personal  enmity  to  the  proprietary,  and  that,  whenever  the 
public  measures  he  proposed  should  appear  to  be  for  the  good 
of  the  people,  no  one  should  espouse  and  forward  them  more 
zealously  than  myself;  my  past  opposition  having  been  founded 
on  this,  that  the  measures  which  had  been  urged  were  evidently 
intended  to  serve  the  proprietary  interest,  with  great  prejudice 
to  that  of  the  people ;  that  I  was  much  obliged  to  him  (the  gov- 


LETTER    FROM    FRANKLIN    TO    HIS    MOTHER 


LETTER    FROM    FRANKLIN    TO    HIS    MOTHER 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  169 

ernor)  for  his  professions  of  regard  to  me,  and  that  he  might 
rely  on  every  thing  in  my  power  to  make  his  administration 
as  easy  as  possible,  hoping  at  the  same  time  that  he  had  not 
brought  with  him  the  same  unfortunate  instruction  his  pre 
decessor  had  been  hamper'd  with. 

On  this  he  did  not  then  explain  himself;  but  when  he  after 
wards  came  to  do  business  with  the  Assembly,  they  appear' d 
again,  the  disputes  were  renewed,  and  I  was  as  active  as  ever  in 
the  opposition,  being  the  penman,  first,  of  the  request  to  have 
a  communication  of  the  instructions,  and  then  of  the  remarks 
upon  them,  which  may  be  found  in  the  votes  of  the  time,  and 
in  the  Historical  Review  I  afterward  publish'd.  But  between 
us  personally  no  enmity  arose;  we  were  often  together ;  he  was 
a  man  of  letters,  had  seen  much  of  the  world,  and  was  very 
entertaining  and  pleasing  in  conversation.  He  gave  me  the 
first  information  that  my  old  friend  Jas.  Ralph  was  still  alive ; 
that  he  was  esteem'd  one  of  the  best  political  writers  in  Eng 
land  ;  had  been  employ'd  in  the  dispute  between  Prince 
Frederic  and  the  king,  and  had  obtain' d  a  pension  of  three 
hundred  a  year;  that  his  reputation  was  indeed  small  as  a  poet, 
Pope  having  damned  his  poetry  in  the  Dunciad ;  but  his  prose 
was  thought  as  good  as  any  man's. 

The  Assembly "  finally  finding  the  proprietary  obstinately 
persisted  in  manacling  their  deputies  with  instructions  incon 
sistent  not  only  with  the  privileges  of  the  people,  but  with  the 
service  of  the  crown,  resolv'd  to  petition  the  king  against  them, 
and  appointed  me  their  agent  to  go  over  to  England,  to  present 
and  support  the  petition.  The  House  had  sent  up  a  bill  to 
the  governor,  granting  a  sum  of  sixty  thousand  pounds  for  the 
king's  use  (ten  thousand  pounds  of  which  was  subjected  to 
the  orders  of  the  then  general,  Lord  Loudoun),  which  the 
governor  absolutely  refus'd  to  pass,  in  compliance  with  his 
instructions. 

1  The  many  unanimous  resolves  of  the  Assembly  —  what  date  ?  —  Marg.  note. 


170      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

I  had  agreed  with  Captain  Morris,  of  the  paquet  at  New 
York,  for  my  passage,  and  my  stores  were  put  on  board,  when 
Lord  Loudoun  arriv'd  at  Philadelphia,  expressly,  as  he  told 
me,  to  endeavor  an  accommodation  between  the  governor  and 
Assembly,  that  his  majesty's  service  might  not  be  obstructed 
by  their  dissensions.  Accordingly,  he  desir'd  the  governor  and 
myself  to  meet  him,  that  he  might  hear  what  was  to  be  said  on 
both  sides.  We  met  and  discuss' d  the  business.  In  behalf  of 
the  Assembly,  I  urg'd  all  the  various  arguments  that  may  be 
found  in  the  public  papers  of  that  time,  which  were  of  my 
writing,  and  are  printed  with  the  minutes  of  the  Assembly ; 
and  the  governor  pleaded  his  instructions ;  the  bond  he  had 
given  to  observe  them,  and  his  ruin  if  he  disobey' d,  yet  seemed 
not  unwilling  to  hazard  himself  if  Lord  Loudoun  would  ad 
vise  it.  This  his  lordship  did  not  chuse  to  do,  though  I  once 
thought  I  had  nearly  prevail' d  with  him  to  do  it ;  but  finally 
he  rather  chose  to  urge  the  compliance  of  the  Assembly ;  and 
he  entreated  me  to  use  my  endeavours  with  them  for  that  pur 
pose,  declaring  that  he  would  spare  none  of  the  king's  troops 
for  the  defense  of  our  frontiers,  and  that,  if  we  did  not  con 
tinue  to  provide  for  that  defense  ourselves,  they  must  remain 
expos'd  to  the  enemy. 

I  acquainted  the  House  with  what  had  pass'd,  and,  present 
ing  them  with  a  set  of  resolutions  I  had  drawn  up,  declaring 
our  rights,  and  that  we  did  not  relinquish  our  claim  to  those 
rights,  but  only  suspended  the  exercise  of  them  on  this  occa 
sion  thro'  force,  against  which  we  protested,  they  at  length 
agreed  to  drop  that  bill,  and  frame  another  conformable  to  the 
proprietary  instructions.  This  of  course  the  governor  pass'd, 
and  I  was  then  at  liberty  to  proceed  on  my  voyage.  But,  in  the 
meantime,  the  paquet  had  sailed  with  my  sea-stores,  which 
was  some  loss  to  me,  and  my  only  recompense  was  his  lord 
ship's  thanks  for  my  service,  all  the  credit  of  obtaining  the 
accommodation  falling  to  his  share. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  171 

He  set  out  for  New  York  before  me ;  and,  as  the  time  for 
dispatching  the  paquet-boats  was  at  his  disposition,  and  there 
were  two  then  remaining  there,  one  of  which,  he  said,  was  to 
sail  very  soon,  I  requested  to  know  the  precise  time,  that  I 
might  not  miss  her  by  any  delay  of  mine.  His  answer  was,  "  I 
have  given  out  that  she  is  to  sail  on  Saturday  next ;  but  I  may 
let  you  know,  entre  nous,  that  if  you  are  there  by  Monday 
morning,  you  will  be  in  time,  but  do  not  delay  longer."  By 
some  accidental  hinderance  at  a  ferry,  it  was  Monday  noon 
before  I  arrived,  and  I  was  much  afraid  she  might  have  sailed, 
as  the  wind  was  fair ;  but  I  was  soon  made  easy  by  the  informa 
tion  that  she  was  still  in  the  harbor,  and  would  not  move  till 
the  next  day.  One  would  imagine  that  I  was  now  on  the  very 
point  of  departing  for  Europe.  I  thought  so ;  but  I  was  not  then 
so  well  acquainted  with  his  lordship's  character,  of  which  in 
decision  was  one  of  the  strongest  features.  I  shall  give  some 
instances.  It  was  about  the  beginning  of  April  that  I  came  to 
New  York,  and  I  think  it  was  near  the  end  of  June  before  we 
sail'd.  There  were  then  two  of  the  paquet-boats,  which  had 
been  long  in  port,  but  were  detained  for  the  general's  letters, 
which  were  always  to  be  ready  to-morrow.  Another  paquet 
arriv'd;  she  too  was  detain'd;  and,  before  we  sail'd,  a  fourth 
was  expected.  Ours  was  the  first  to  be  dispatch' d,  as  having 
been  there  longest.  Passengers  were  engag'd  in  all,  and  some 
extremely  impatient  to  be  gone,  and  the  merchants  uneasy 
about  their  letters,  and  the  orders  they  had  given  for  insurance 
(it  being  war  time)  for  fall  goods ;  but  their  anxiety  avail'd 
nothing;  his  lordship's  letters  were  not  ready ;  and  yet  who 
ever  waited  on  him  found  him  always  at  his  desk,  pen  in  hand, 
and  concluded  he  must  needs  write  abundantly. 

Going  myself  one  morning  to  pay  my  respects,  I  found  in 
his  antechamber  one  Innis,  a  messenger  of  Philadelphia,  who 
had  come  from  thence  express  with  a  paquet  from  Governor 
Denny  for  the  General.  He  delivered  to  me  some  letters  from 


THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

my  friends  there,  which  occasion' d  my  inquiring  when  he  was 
to  return,  and  where  he  lodg'd,  that  I  might  send  some  letters 
by  him.  He  told  me  he  was  order'd  to  call  to-morrow  at  nine 
for  the  general's  answer  to  the  governor,  and  should  set  off 
immediately.  I  put  my  letters  into  his  hands  the  same  day.  A 
fortnight  after  I  met  him  again  in  the  same  place.  "  So,  you  are 
soon  return'd,  Innis?"  "Return'd!  no,  I  am  not  gone  yet." 
"  How  so  ? "  "I  have  called  here  by  order  every  morning  these 
two  weeks  past  for  his  lordship's  letter,  and  it  is  not  yet  ready." 
"Is  it  possible,  when  he  is  so  great  a  writer  ?  for  I  see  him  con 
stantly  at  his  escritoire."  "  Yes,"  says  Innis,  "  but  he  is  like 
St  George  on  the  signs,  always  on  horseback,  and  never  rides  on." 
This  observation  of  the  messenger  was,  it  seems,  well  founded ; 
for,  when  in  England,  I  understood  that  Mr  Pitt  gave  it  as 
one  reason  for  removing  this  general,  and  sending  Generals 
Amherst  and  Wolfe,  that  the  minister  never  beard  from  him,  and 
could  not  know  what  he  was  doing. 

This  daily  expectation  of  sailing,  and  all  the  three  paquets 
going  down  to  Sand  Hook,  to  join  the  fleet  there,  the  passen 
gers  thought  it  best  to  be  on  board,  lest  by  a  sudden  order  the 
ships  should  sail,  and  they  be  left  behind.  There,  if  I  remem 
ber  right,  we  were  about  six  weeks,  consuming  our  sea-stores, 
and  oblig'd  to  procure  more.  At  length  the  fleet  sail'd,  the 
General  and  all  his  army  on  board,  bound  to  Louisburg,  with 
intent  to  besiege  and  take  that  fortress ;  all  the  paquet-boats  in 
company  ordered  to  attend  the  General's  ship,  ready  to  receive 
his  dispatches  when  they  should  be  ready.  We  were  out  five 
days  before  we  got  a  letter  with  leave  to  part,  and  then  our 
ship  quitted  the  fleet  and  steered  for  England.  The  other  two 
paquets  he  still  detained,  carried  them  with  him  to  Halifax, 
where  he  stayed  some  time  to  exercise  the  men  in  sham  attacks 
upon  sham  forts,  then  alter'd  his  mind  as  to  besieging  Louis- 
burg,  and  return'd  to  New  York,  with  all  his  troops,  together 
with  the  two  paquets  above  mentioned,  and  all  their  passen- 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  173 

gers !  During  his  absence  the  French  and  savages  had  taken 
Fort  George,  on  the  frontier  of  that  province,  and  the  savages 
had  massacred  many  of  the  garrison  after  capitulation. 

I  saw  afterwards  in  London  Captain  Bonnell,  who  com 
manded  one  of  those  paquets.  He  told  me  that,  when  he  had 
been  detain' d  a  month,  he  acquainted  his  lordship  that  his  ship 
was  grown  foul,  to  a  degree  that  must  necessarily  hinder  her 
fast  sailing,  a  point  of  consequence  for  a  paquet-boat,  and  re 
quested  an  allowance  of  time  to  heave  her  down  and  clean  her 
bottom.  He  was  asked  how  long  time  that  would  require. 
He  answer'd,  three  days.  The  general  replied,  "  If  you  can 
do  it  in  one  day,  I  give  leave ;  otherwise  not ;  for  you  must 
certainly  sail  the  day  after  to-morrow."  So  he  never  obtain' d 
leave,  though  detained  afterwards  from  day  to  day  during  full 
three  months. 

I  saw  also  in  London  one  of  Bonnell's  passengers,  who  was 
so  enrag'd  against  his  lordship  for  deceiving  and  detaining  him 
so  long  at  New  York,  and  then  carrying  him  to  Halifax  and 
back  again,  that  he  swore  he  would  sue  him  for  damages. 
Whether  he  would  or  not,  I  never  heard ;  but,  as  he  repre 
sented  the  injury  to  his  affairs,  it  was  very  considerable. 

On  the  whole,  I  wonder'd  much  how  such  a  man  came  to 
be  intrusted  with  so  important  a  business  as  the  conduct  of 
a  great  army ;  but,  having  since  seen  more  of  the  great  world, 
and  the  means  of  obtaining,  and  motives  for  giving  places,  my 
wonder  is  diminished.  General  Shirley,  on  whom  the  com 
mand  of  the  army  devolved  upon  the  death  of  Braddock, 
would,  in  my  opinion,  if  continued  in  place,  have  made  a  much 
better  campaign  than  that  of  Loudoun  in  1757,  which  was 
frivolous,  expensive,  and  disgraceful  to  our  nation  beyond  con 
ception  ;  for,  tho'  Shirley  was  not  a  bred  soldier,  he  was  sensible 
and  sagacious  in  himself,  and  attentive  to  good  advice  from 
others,  capable  of  forming  judicious  plans,  and  quick  and  active 
in  carrying  them  into  execution.  Loudoun,  instead  of  defend- 


174     THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

ing  the  colonies  with  his  great  army,  left  them  totally  expos' d 
while  he  paraded  idly  at  Halifax,  by  which  means  Fort  George 
was  lost;  besides,  he  derang'd  all  our  mercantile  operations,  and 
distress'd  our  trade,  by  a  long  embargo  on  the  exportation  of 
provisions,  on  pretence  of  keeping  supplies  from  being  obtain'd 
by  the  enemy,  but  in  reality  for  beating  down  their  price  in 
favor  of  the  contractors,  in  whose  profits,  it  was  said,  perhaps 
from  suspicion  only,  he  had  a  share.  And,  when  at  length  the 
embargo  was  taken  off,  by  neglecting  to  send  notice  of  it  to 
Charlestown,  the  Carolina  fleet  was  detain'd  near  three  months 
longer,  whereby  their  bottoms  were  so  much  damaged  by  the 
worm  that  a  great  part  of  them  foundered  in  their  passage 
home. 

Shirley  was,  I  believe,  sincerely  glad  of  being  relieved  from 
so  burdensome  a  charge  as  the  conduct  of  an  army  must  be  to 
a  man  unacquainted  with  military  business.  I  was  at  the  enter 
tainment  given  by  the  city  of  New  York  to  Lord  Loudoun, 
on  his  taking  upon  him  the  command.  Shirley,  tho'  thereby 
superseded,  was  present  also.  There  was  a  great  company  of 
officers,  citizens,  and  strangers,  and,  some  chairs  having  been 
borrowed  in  the  neighborhood,  there  was  one  among  them 
very  low,  which  fell  to  the  lot  of  Mr  Shirley.  Perceiving  it 
as  I  sat  by  him,  I  said,  "  They  have  given  you,  sir,  too  low 
a  seat."  "  No  matter,"  says  he, "  Mr  Franklin,  I  find  a  low  seat 
the  easiest." 

While  I  was,  as  afore  mention'd,  detain'd  at  New  York,  I 
receiv'd  all  the  accounts  of  the  provisions,  etc.,  that  I  had  fur- 
nish'd  to  Braddock,  some  of  which  accounts  could  not  sooner 
be  obtain'd  from  the  different  persons  I  had  employ 'd  to  assist 
in  the  business.  I  presented  them  to  Lord  Loudoun,  desiring 
to  be  paid  the  ballance.  He  caus'd  them  to  be  regularly  ex 
amined  by  the  proper  officer,  who,  after  comparing  every 
article  with  its  voucher,  certified  them  to  be  right ;  and  the 
ballance  due  for  which  his  lordship  promis'd  to  give  me  an 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  175 

order  on  the  paymaster.  This  was,  however,  put  off  from  time 
to  time ;  and,  tho'  I  call'd  often  for  it  by  appointment,  I  did 
not  get  it.  At  length,  just  before  my  departure,  he  told  me 
he  had,  on  better  consideration,  concluded  not  to  mix  his 
accounts  with  those  of  his  predecessors.  "  And  you/'  says  he, 
"  when  in  England,  have  only  to  exhibit  your  accounts  at  the 
treasury,  and  you  will  be  paid  immediately/' 

I  mention' d,  but  without  effect,  the  great  and  unexpected 
expense  I  had  been  put  to  by  being  detain' d  so  long  at  New 
York,  as  a  reason  for  my  desiring  to  be  presently  paid ;  and 
on  my  observing  that  it  was  not  right  I  should  be  put  to  any 
further  trouble  or  delay  in  obtaining  the  money  I  had  ad- 
vanc'd,  as  I  charged  no  commission  for  my  service,  "O,  Sir," 
says  he,  "you  must  not  think  of  persuading  us  that  you  are  no 
gainer ;  we  understand  better  those  affairs,  and  know  that  every 
one  concerned  in  supplying  the  army  finds  means,  in  the  do 
ing  it,  to  fill  his  own  pockets."  I  assur'd  him  that  was  not  my 
case,  and  that  I  had  not  pocketed  a  farthing ;  but  he  appear'd 
clearly  not  to  believe  me ;  and,  indeed,  I  have  since  learnt  that 
immense  fortunes  are  often  made  in  such  employments.  As  to 
my  ballance,  I  am  not  paid  it  to  this  day,  of  which  more  here 
after. 

Our  captain  of  the  paquet  had  boasted  much,  before  we 
sailed,  of  the  swiftness  of  his  ship ;  unfortunately,  when  we 
came  to  sea,  she  proved  the  dullest  of  ninety-six  sail,  to  his 
no  small  mortification.  After  many  conjectures  respecting  the 
cause,  when  we  were  near  another  ship  almost  as  dull  as  ours, 
which,  however,  gain'd  upon  us,  the  captain  ordered  all  hands 
to  come  aft,  and  stand  as  near  the  ensign  staff  as  possible.  We 
were,  passengers  included,  about  forty  persons.  While  we  stood 
there,  the  ship  mended  her  pace,  and  soon  left  her  neighbour 
far  behind,  which  prov'd  clearly  what  our  captain  suspected, 
that  she  was  loaded  too  much  by  the  head.  The  casks  of  water, 
it  seems,  had  been  all  plac'd  forward ;  these  he  therefore  order'd 


176      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

to  be  mov'd  further  aft,  on  which  the  ship  recovered  her  char 
acter,  and  proved  the  best  sailer  in  the  fleet. 

The  captain  said  she  had  once  gone  at  the  rate  of  thirteen 
knots,  which  is  accounted  thirteen  miles  per  hour.  We  had  on 
board,  as  a  passenger,  Captain  Kennedy,  of  the  Navy,  who  con 
tended  that  it  was  impossible,  and  that  no  ship  ever  sailed  so 
fast,  and  that  there  must  have  been  some  error  in  the  division 
of  the  log-line,  or  some  mistake  in  heaving  the  log.  A  wager 
ensu'd  between  the  two  captains,  to  be  decided  when  there 
should  be  sufficient  wind.  Kennedy  thereupon  examin'd  rigor 
ously  the  log-line,  and  being  satisfied  with  that,  he  determin'd 
to  throw  the  log  himself.  Accordingly  some  days  after,  when 
the  wind  blew  very  fair  and  fresh,  and  the  captain  of  the  paquet, 
Lutwidge,  said  hebeliev'd  she  then  went  at  the  rate  of  thirteen 
knots,  Kennedy  made  the  experiment,  and  own'd  his  wager 
lost. 

The  above  fact  I  give  for  the  sake  of  the  following  obser 
vation.  It  has  been  remark' d,  as  an  imperfection  in  the  art 
of  ship-building,  that  it  can  never  be  known,  till  she  is  tried, 
whether  a  new  ship  will  or  will  not  be  a  good  sailer ;  for  that 
the  model  of  a  good-sailing  ship  has  been  exactly  folio  w'd  in 
a  new  one,  which  has  prov'd,  on  the  contrary,  remarkably  dull. 
I  apprehend  that  this  may  partly  be  occasion' d  by  the  different 
opinions  of  seamen  respecting  the  modes  of  lading,  rigging, 
and  sailing  of  a  ship ;  each  has  his  system  ;  and  the  same  vessel, 
laden  by  the  judgment  and  orders  of  one  captain,  shall  sail  bet 
ter  or  worse  than  when  by  the  orders  of  another.  Besides,  it 
scarce  ever  happens  that  a  ship  is  form'd,  fitted  for  the  sea,  and 
sail'd  by  the  same  person.  One  man  builds  the  hull,  another 
rigs  her,  a  third  lades  and  sails  her.  No  one  of  these  has  the 
advantage  of  knowing  all  the  ideas  and  experience  of  the  others, 
and,  therefore,  can  not  draw  just  conclusions  from  a  combina 
tion  of  the  whole. 

Even  in  the  simple  operation  of  sailing  when  at  sea,  I  have 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN          177 

often  observ'd  different  judgments  in  the  officers  who  com 
manded  the  successive  watches,  the  wind  being  the  same.  One 
would  have  the  sails  trimm'd  sharper  or  flatter  than  another, 
so  that  they  seem'd  to  have  no  certain  rule  to  govern  by.  Yet 
I  think  a  set  of  experiments  might  be  instituted,  first,  to  de 
termine  the  most  proper  form  of  the  hull  for  swift  sailing ; 
next,  the  best  dimensions  and  properest  place  for  the  masts ; 
then  the  form  and  quantity  of  sails,  and  their  position,  as  the 
wind  may  be ;  and,  lastly,  the  disposition  of  the  lading.  This 
is  an  age  of  experiments,  and  I  think  a  set  accurately  made  and 
combin'd  would  be  of  great  use.  I  am  persuaded,  therefore, 
that  ere  long  some  ingenious  philosopher  will  undertake  it,  to 
whom  I  wish  success. 

We  were  several  times  chas'd  in  our  passage,  but  outsaiFd 
every  thing,  and  in  thirty  days  had  soundings.  We  had  a  good 
observation,  and  the  captain  judg'd  himself  so  near  our  port, 
Falmouth,  that,  if  we  made  a  good  run  in  the  night,  we  might 
be  off  the  mouth  of  that  harbor  in  the  morning,  and  by 
running  in  the  night  might  escape  the  notice  of  the  enemy's 
privateers,  who  often  crus'd  near  the  entrance  of  the  channel. 
Accordingly,  all  the  sail  was  set  that  we  could  possibly  make, 
and  the  wind  being  very  fresh  and  fair,  we  went  right  before 
it,  and  made  great  way.  The  captain,  after  his  observation, 
shap'd  his  course,  as  he  thought,  so  as  to  pass  wide  of  the  Scilly 
Isles ;  but  it  seems  there  is  sometimes  a  strong  indraught  setting 
up  St  George's  Channel,  which  deceives  seamen  and  caused  the 
loss  of  Sir  Cloudesley  Shovel's  squadron.  This  indraught  was 
probably  the  cause  of  what  happened  to  us. 

We  had  a  watchman  plac'd  in  the  bow,  to  whom  they  often 
called,  "  Look  'well  out  before  there"  and  he  as  often  answered, 
"^y,  ay ; "  but  perhaps  he  had  his  eyes  shut,  and  was  half  asleep 
at  the  time,  they  sometimes  answering,  as  is  said,  mechanically ; 
for  he  did  not  see  a  light  just  before  us,  which  had  been  hid  by 
the  studding-sails  from  the  man  at  the  helm,  and  from  the  rest 


178      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

of  the  watch,  but  by  an  accidental  yaw  of  the  ship  was  dis- 
cover'd,  and  occasion'd  a  great  alarm,  we  being  very  near  it,  the 
light  appearing  to  me  as  big  as  a  cart-wheel.  It  was  midnight, 
and  our  captain  fast  asleep  ;  but  Captain  Kennedy,  jumping 
upon  deck,  and  seeing  the  danger,  ordered  the  ship  to  wear 
round,  all  sails  standing ;  an  operation  dangerous  to  the  masts, 
but  it  carried  us  clear,  and  we  escaped  shipwreck,  for  we  were 
running  right  upon  the  rocks  on  which  the  light-house  was 
erected.  This  deliverance  impressed  me  strongly  with  the 
utility  of  light-houses,  and  made  me  resolve  to  encourage  the 
building  more  of  them  in  America,  if  I  should  live  to  return 
there. 

In  the  morning  it  was  found  by  the  soundings,  etc.,  that 
we  were  near  our  port,  but  a  thick  fog  hid  the  land  from  our 
sight.  About  nine  o'clock  the  fog  began  to  rise,  and  seem'd  to 
be  lifted  up  from  the  water  like  the  curtain  at  a  play-house, 
discovering  underneath,  the  town  of  Falmouth,  the  vessels  in 
its  harbor,  and  the  fields  that  surrounded  it.  This  was  a  most 
pleasing  spectacle  to  those  who  had  been  so  long  without  any 
other  prospects  than  the  uniform  view  of  a  vacant  ocean,  and 
it  gave  us  the  more  pleasure  as  we  were  now  free  from  the 
anxieties  which  the  state  of  war  occasion'd. 

I  set  out  immediately,  with  my  son,  for  London,  and  we 
only  stopt  a  little  by  the  way  to  view  Stonehenge  on  Salisbury 
Plain,  and  Lord  Pembroke's  house  and  gardens,  with  his  very 
curious  antiquities  at  Wilton.  We  arrived  in  London  the 
of  July,  1757. 


As  soon  as  I  was  settled  in  a  lodging  Mr  Charles  had  provided 
for  me,  I  went  to  visit  Dr  Fothergill,  to  whom  I  was  strongly 
recommended,  and  whose  counsel  respecting  my  proceedings 
I  was  advis'd  to  obtain.  He  was  against  an  immediate  com 
plaint  to  government,  and  thought  the  proprietaries  should 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  179 

first  be  personally  appli'd  to,  who  might  possibly  be  indue' d, 
by  the  interposition  and  persuasion  of  some  private  friends,  to 
accommodate  matters  amicably.  I  then  waited  on  my  old 
friend  and  correspondent,  Mr  Peter  Collinson,  who  told  me 
that  John  Hanbury,  the  great  Virginia  merchant,  had  request 
ed  to  be  informed  when  I  should  arrive,  that  he  might  carry 
me  to  Lord  Granville's,  who  was  then  President  of  the  Coun 
cil  and  wished  to  see  me  as  soon  as  possible.  I  agreed  to  go 
with  him  the  next  morning.  Accordingly  Mr  Hanbury  called 
for  me  and  took  me  in  his  carriage  to  that  nobleman's,  who 
receiv'd  me  with  great  civility ;  and  after  some  questions  re 
specting  the  present  state  of  affairs  in  America  and  discourse 
thereupon,  he  said  to  me :  "You  Americans  have  wrong  ideas 
of  the  nature  of  your  constitution ;  you  contend  that  the  king's 
instructions  to  his  governors  are  not  laws,  and  think  yourselves 
at  liberty  to  regard  or  disregard  them  at  your  own  discretion. 
But  those  instructions  are  not  like  the  pocket  instructions  given 
to  a  minister  going  abroad,  for  regulating  his  conduct  in  some 
trifling  point  of  ceremony.  They  are  first  drawn  up  by  judges 
learned  in  the  laws ;  they  are  then  considered,  debated,  and  per 
haps  amended  in  Council,  after  which  they  are  signed  by  the 
king.  They  are  then,  so  far  as  they  relate  to  you,  the  law  of  the 
land,  for  the  king  is  the  LEGISLATOR  OF  THE  COLONIES."  I  told 
his  lordship  this  was  new  doctrine  to  me.  I  had  always  under 
stood  from  our  charters  that  our  laws  were  to  be  made  by  our 
Assemblies,  to  be  presented  indeed  to  the  king  for  his  royal 
assent,  but  that  being  once  given  the  king  could  not  repeal  or 
alter  them.  And  as  the  Assemblies  could  not  make  permanent 
laws  without  his  assent,  so  neither  could  he  make  a  law  for  them 
without  theirs.  He  assur'd  me  I  was  totally  mistaken.  I  did 
not  think  so,  however,  and  his  lordship's  conversation  having 
a  little  alarm'd  me  as  to  what  might  be  the  sentiments  of  the 
court  concerning  us,  I  wrote  it  down  as  soon  as  I  return' d  to  my 
lodgings.  I  recollected  that  about  20  years  before,  a  clause  in 


180      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

a  bill  brought  into  Parliament  by  the  ministry  had  propos'd  to 
make  the  king's  instructions  laws  in  the  colonies,  but  the  clause 
was  thrown  out  by  the  Commons,  for  which  we  adored  them 
as  our  friends  and  friends  of  liberty,  till  by  their  conduct  to 
wards  us  in  1765  it  seem'd  that  they  had  refus'd  that  point 
of  sovereignty  to  the  king  only  that  they  might  reserve  it  for 
themselves. 

After  some  days,  Dr  Fothergill  having  spoken  to  the  pro 
prietaries,  they  agreed  to  a  meeting  with  me  at  Mr  T.  Penn's 
house  in  Spring  Garden.  The  conversation  at  first  consisted 
of  mutual  declarations  of  disposition  to  reasonable  accommo 
dations,  but  I  suppose  each  party  had  its  own  ideas  of  what 
should  be  meant  by  reasonable.  We  then  went  into  consider 
ation  of  our  several  points  of  complaint,  which  I  enumerated. 
The  proprietaries  justify'd  their  conduct  as  well  as  they 
could,  and  I  the  Assembly's.  We  now  appeared  very  wide, 
and  so  far  from  each  other  in  our  opinions  as  to  discourage 
all  hope  of  agreement.  However,  it  was  concluded  that  I 
should  give  them  the  heads  of  our  complaints  in  writing,  and 
they  promis'd  then  to  consider  them.  I  did  so  soon  after, 
but  they  put  the  paper  into  the  hands  of  their  solicitor,  Fer 
dinand  John  Paris,  who  managed  for  them  all  their  law 
business  in  their  great  suit  with  the  neighbouring  proprietary 
of  Maryland,  Lord  Baltimore,  which  had  subsisted  70  years, 
and  wrote  for  them  all  their  papers  and  messages  in  their 
dispute  with  the  Assembly.  He  was  a  proud,  angry  man,  and 
as  I  had  occasionally  in  the  answers  of  the  Assembly  treated 
his  papers  with  some  severity,  they  being  really  weak  in 
point  of  argument  and  haughty  in  expression,  he  had  con 
ceived  a  mortal  enmity  to  me,  which  discovering  itself  when 
ever  we  met,  I  declin'd  the  proprietary's  proposal  that  he  and 
I  should  discuss  the  heads  of  complaint  between  our  two 
selves,  and  refus'd  treating  with  any  one  but  them.  They 
then  by  his  advice  put  the  paper  into  the  hands  of  the  At- 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN           181 

torney  and  Solicitor-General  for  their  opinion  and  counsel 
upon  it,  where  it  lay  unanswered  a  year  wanting  eight  days, 
during  which  time  I  made  frequent  demands  of  an  answer 
from  the  proprietaries,  but  without  obtaining  any  other  than 
that  they  had  not  yet  received  the  opinion  of  the  Attorney 
and  Solicitor-General.  What  it  was  when  they  did  receive 
it  I  never  learnt,  for  they  did  not  communicate  it  to  me,  but 
sent  a  long  message  to  the  Assembly  drawn  and  signed  by 
Paris,  reciting  my  paper,  complaining  of  its  want  of  formal 
ity,  as  a  rudeness  on  my  part,  and  giving  a  flimsy  justification 
of  their  conduct,  adding  that  they  should  be  willing  to  accom 
modate  matters  if  the  Assembly  would  send  out  some  person 
of  candour  to  treat  with  them  for  that  purpose,  intimating 
thereby  that  I  was  not  such. 

The  want  of  formality  or  rudeness  was,  probably,  my  not 
having  address'd  the  paper  to  them  with  their  assum'd  titles 
of  True  and  Absolute  Proprietaries  of  the  Province  of  Penn 
sylvania,  which  I  omitted  as  not  thinking  it  necessary  in  a 
paper,  the  intention  of  which  was  only  to  reduce  to  a  cer 
tainty  by  writing,  what  in  conversation  I  had  delivered  viva 
voce. 

But  during  this  delay,  the  Assembly  having  prevailed  with 
Gov'r  Denny  to  pass  an  act  taxing  the  proprietary  estate  in 
common  with  the  estates  of  the  people,  which  was  the  grand 
point  in  dispute,  they  omitted  answering  the  message. 

When  this  act  however  came  over,  the  proprietaries,  coun 
selled  by  Paris,  determined  to  oppose  its  receiving  the  royal 
assent.  Accordingly  they  petition'd  the  king  in  Council,  and 
a  hearing  was  appointed  in  which  two  lawyers  were  employ 'd 
by  them  against  the  act,  and  two  by  me  in  support  of  it.  They 
alleg'd  that  the  act  was  intended  to  load  the  proprietary  estate 
in  order  to  spare  those  of  the  people,  and  that  if  it  were  suffer'd 
to  continue  in  force,  and  the  proprietaries  who  were  in  odium 
with  the  people,  left  to  their  mercy  in  proportioning  the  taxes, 


1 82,      THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

they  would  inevitably  be  ruined.  We  reply 'd  that  the  act  had 
no  such  intention,  and  would  have  no  such  effect.  That  the 
assessors  were  honest  and  discreet  men  under  an  oath  to  assess 
fairly  and  equitably,  and  that  any  advantage  each  of  them  might 
expect  in  lessening  his  own  tax  by  augmenting  that  of  the  pro 
prietaries  was  too  trifling  to  induce  them  to  perjure  themselves. 
This  is  the  purport  of  what  I  remember  as  urged  by  both  sides, 
except  that  we  insisted  strongly  on  the  mischievous  conse 
quences  that  must  attend  a  repeal,  for  that  the  money,  ^"100,- 
ooo,  being  printed  and  given  to  the  king's  use,  expended  in  his 
service,  and  now  spread  among  the  people,  the  repeal  would 
strike  it  dead  in  their  hands  to  the  ruin  of  many,  and  the  total 
discouragement  of  future  grants,  and  the  selfishness  of  the  pro 
prietors  in  soliciting  such  a  general  catastrophe,  merely  from  a 
groundless  fear  of  their  estate  being  taxed  too  highly,  was  in 
sisted  on  in  the  strongest  terms.  On  this,  Lord  Mansfield,  one 
of  the  counsel  rose,  and  beckoning  me  took  me  into  the  clerk's 
chamber,  while  the  lawyers  were  pleading,  and  asked  me  if 
I  was  really  of  opinion  that  no  injury  would  be  done  the  pro 
prietary  estate  in  the  execution  of  the  act.  I  said  certainly. 
"Then/'  says  he,  "you  can  have  little  objection  to  enter  into 
an  engagement  to  assure  that  point."  I  answer'd,  "  None 
at  all."  He  then  call'd  in  Paris,  and  after  some  discourse,  his 
lordship's  proposition  was  accepted  on  both  sides ;  a  paper  to 
the  purpose  was  drawn  up  by  the  Clerk  of  the  Council,  which 
I  sign'd  with  Mr  Charles,  who  was  also  an  Agent  of  the  Pro 
vince  for  their  ordinary  affairs,  when  Lord  Mansfield  returned 
to  the  Council  Chamber,  where  finally  the  law  was  allowed  to 
pass.  Some  changes  were  however  recommended  and  we  also 
engaged  they  should  be  made  by  a  subsequent  law,  but  the 
Assembly  did  not  think  them  necessary;  for  one  year's  tax 
having  been  levied  by  the  act  before  the  order  of  Council  ar 
rived,  they  appointed  a  committee  to  examine  the  proceedings 
of  the  assessors,  and  on  this  committee  they  put  several  partic- 


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BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  183 

ular  friends  of  the  proprietaries.  After  a  full  enquiry,  they 
unanimously  sign'd  a  report  that  they  found  the  tax  had  been 
assess' d  with  perfect  equity. 

The  Assembly  looked  into  my  entering  into  the  first  part 
of  the  engagement,  as  an  essential  service  to  the  Province,  since 
it  secured  the  credit  of  the  paper  money  then  spread  over  all 
the  country.  They  gave  me  their  thanks  in  form  when  I  re 
turn' d.  But  the  proprietaries  were  enraged  at  Governor  Denny 
for  having  pass'd  the  act,  and  turn'd  him  out  with  threats  of 
suing  him  for  breach  of  instructions  which  he  had  given  bond 
to  observe.  He,  however,  having  done  it  at  the  instance  of  the 
General,  and  for  His  Majesty's  service,  and  having  some  pow 
erful  interest  at  court,  despis'd  the  threats  and  they  were  never 
put  in  execution.  .  .  .  [Unfinished], 


H 


